title: Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Congestive heart failure (CHF) has been associated with elevated biomarker levels reflecting chronic low-grade inflammation. YKL-40 is a biomarker with increasing levels in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) of increasing severity. Furthermore, YKL-40 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. We investigated plasma YKL-40 levels in patients with CHF and evaluated the possible predictive value with respect to overall mortality and recurrent cardiovascular outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma YKL-40 was measured in 194 CHF patients and in 117 age-matched individuals without CVD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median YKL-40 levels were approximately 77% higher in patients with CHF (106 (IQR, 66-184) ng/ml vs. 60 (IQR, 42-97) ng/ml, p < 0.0001). We found a trend towards an association of YKL-40 levels with urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (beta = 0.12, p = 0.08). YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality (p = 0.59), major cardiovascular events (p = 0.23) or events of incompensation (p = 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with CHF but show no association with other clinical or paraclinical variables. YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality or incident cardiovascular events. Most likely, elevated YKL-40 levels in CHF patients are explained by the presence of concomitant diseases but a role of YKL-40 in low-grade inflammation is not excluded.
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Denmark. cnr@dadlnet.dk
authors: Camilla Noelle
authors: CN
authors: Rathcke
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Kistorp
authors: Ilan
authors: I
authors: Raymond
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Hildebrandt
authors: Finn
authors: F
authors: Gustafsson
authors: Gregory Y H
authors: GY
authors: Lip
authors: Jens
authors: J
authors: Faber
authors: Henrik
authors: H
authors: Vestergaard
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D019040:E-Selectin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine