title: Serum levels of YKL-40 and interleukin-18 and their relationship to disease severity in patients with preeclampsia.
abstract: Preeclampsia is a disease associated with the maternal inflammatory response. YKL-40 and interleukin-18 (IL-18) are inflammatory markers involved in inflammatory states and vascular processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of YKL-40 and IL-18 in preeclampsia. Twenty-four patients with preeclampsia and 13 healthy pregnant women were included in this study. Serum levels of YKL-40 and IL-18 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia (median 75.0 ng/mL; range 45.8-125.4 ng/mL) than in normal pregnant women (median 29.3 ng/mL; range 16.2-39.5 ng/mL; p=0.000). Serum IL-18 levels were also significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia (median 159.9 pg/mL; range 125.6-193.5 pg/mL) than in normal pregnant women (median 120.2 pg/mL; range 102.2-157.9 pg/mL; p=0.018). Notably, higher serum YKL-40 levels were observed in patients with more severe proteinuria (>or=3+ by dipstick) than in patients with milder proteinuria (<or=1+ by dipstick; median 121.3 ng/mL, range 63.5-146.7 ng/mL versus median 55.4 ng/mL, range 29.4-116.3 ng/mL; p=0.022). There was, however, no significant difference in serum IL-18 levels between patients with more severe proteinuria and those with milder proteinuria. We conclude that circulating YKL-40 and IL-18 are elevated in patients with preeclampsia, and levels of YKL-40 are related to the severity of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.forename: Eun-Sung
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: So-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Nan-Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Min-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hai-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D037102:Lectins; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D020382:Interleukin-18; D037102:Lectins