[Clinical evaluation of serum sialyl Lewis X-i (SLX) in diffuse panbronchiolitis]

Clinical comparison of SLX with other tumor-associated antigens such as CA19-9, CA125, and CEA, was made in benign respiratory diseases including diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), bronchiectasis (BE), bronchial asthma (BA), and pulmonary emphysema (PE). Sensitivities of each marker (greater than 38.0 U/ml) on DPB were 79.4% in SLX, 68.0% in CA19-1, 46.7% in CA125, and 35.7% in CEA. Serum levels of SLX in DPB and BE were significantly higher than those in BA and PE. There seemed to be no relationship between serum levels of SLX and CRP, ESR, and the volume of sputum. Immunohistochemical studies showed positive staining on the surface of respiratory bronchioles and alveolar walls in DPB and these findings were not observed in normal lung tissues. We consider that the high value of serum levels of SLX in DPB can be explained by these findings.