Serum Clara Cell Protein (CC16) Levels and Multi-Detector Computed Tomography–Based Volumetric Assessment of Lung Parenchymal Injury in Isolated Blunt Thoracic Trauma Patients: a Prospective Observational Study

Numerous studies have been done for markers of lung injury especially in animal models and it remains relatively unexplored whether these biomarkers clinically correlate with the outcome of patients or with the extent of lung parenchymal injury as deduced by MDCT. This prospective study was conducted to assess the serum level of Clara cell secretory protein (CC16) and volume of the uninvolved lung by MDCT and to ascertain the correlation between levels of CC16 with the volume of the injured lung in the clinical outcome of patients of blunt thoracic trauma. Serum CC16 levels and mean uninvolved lung volumes of both lungs were compared in between groups of eventless recovery, need for mechanical ventilation and mortality with p value < 0.05 considered to be significant. Sixty-two patients of blunt chest trauma, age range from 18 to 60 years, were evaluated in our study. Out of them, 43 (69%) were male. Higher level (more than 100 ng/mL) of serum Clara cell protein was associated with the requirement of ventilator and mortality. Total mean uninvolved lung volume of 1075.71 ± 327.5 and 2329.23 ± 776.01 was significantly associated with the requirement of mechanical ventilation and eventless recovery of patients respectively. A mild negative correlation (− 0.4) between the remaining volume of the lung after injury and serum Clara cell protein levels were also noted. Serum CC16 levels may obviate the need of MDCT in the selected group of patients and thereby avoiding its radiation hazards.