The influence of statin treatment on the inflammatory biomarkers YKL-40 and HsCRP in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
The inflammatory biomarker YKL-40 is elevated and associated with mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim was to investigate the influence of statin treatment and lipid status on serum YKL-40 and Hs-CRP in patients with stable CAD.


METHODS
Serum YKL-40, HsCRP, total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c and triglycerides levels were measured in 404 statin treated and in 404 matched non-statin treated patients with stable CAD.


RESULTS
YKL-40 was significantly higher in non-statin treated 110 µg/l (median) compared with 65 µg/l in statin treated (p < 0.001). HsCRP was 3.3 mg/l in non-statin treated compared with 2.1 mg/l in statin treated (p < 0.001). YKL-40 was not related to cholesterol levels for either statin or non-statin treated patients in the univariate analysis. In statin treated patients, HsCRP was related to a high level of total-cholesterol (p = 0.01) and a low level of HDL-c (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
HsCRP, but not YKL-40, is associated with the cholesterol levels in statin treated patients. This indicates that YKL-40 could be a superior prognostic biomarker in patients with stable CAD, since it is independent of changes in cholesterol levels in both statin and non-statin treated patients.
Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory 2014, Department of Medicine B, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
Naja Dam
ND
Mygind
Marina J
MJ
Harutyunyan
Anders Bruun
AB
Mathiasen
Rasmus S
RS
Ripa
Jens Jacob
JJ
Thune
Jens Peter
JP
Gøtze
Julia S
JS
Johansen
Jens
J
Kastrup
D054392:Adipokines; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D037102:Lectins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol