YKL-40, a biomarker of inflammation, is elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes and is related to insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE
YKL-40 participates in inflammatory states and vascular processes, which implies that comparison can be made with other inflammatory markers associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In the present study levels of plasma YKL-40 and serum hsCRP were evaluated in patients with T2D.


METHODS
Patients with T2D and age-matched healthy controls participated in the study. Insulin resistance was estimated using HOMA-IR model. Biochemical parameters were measured in venous blood after a 10 h fast.


RESULTS
Patients with T2D were insulin resistant (p<0.001) and had raised levels of plasma YKL-40 (p<0.001) and serum hsCRP (p<0.001). YKL-40 was correlated with HOMA-IR (r=0.23, p<0.01), NEFA (r=0.32, p<0.001) and triglycerides (r=0.24, p<0.05). YKL-40 and hsCRP were not correlated (r=0.17, p=NS). All participants with hsCRP<1 mg/l had higher insulin sensitivity (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). HsCRP were predicted by HOMA-IR and BMI (r2=0.48, p<0.01). Plasma YKL-40 was predicted by HOMA-IR and triglycerides (r2=0.27, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
YKL-40 and hsCRP are elevated in patients with T2D and are related to insulin resistance. No correlation was found between YKL-40 and hsCRP indicating that increased levels of YKL-40 occur independently from elevated plasma hsCRP.
Rathcke
C N
CN
Department of Endocrinology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev Ringvej 75, 2730, Herlev, Denmark. camillarathcke@yahoo.dk
Johansen
J S
JS
Vestergaard
H
H
D054392:Adipokines; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D037102:Lectins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein