For 85 patients with ILD (IPF = 27, connective tissue disease [CTD]-ILD = 33, idiopathic NSIP = 18, and other idiopathic interstitial pneumonia = 7), Jiang et al. reported that a greater than 500 or 1000 U/mL increase in KL-6 within 1–6 months predicted disease progression (defined as death or decline in FVC > 10% or DLco ≥ 15% at 12 months) (odds ratio [OR] 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48–1.98, P < 0.01 and OR 2.57, 95% CI 2.26–2.88, P < 0.01, respectively) in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis15. This evidence concerns the gene MUC1 and connective tissue disorder.