title: Elevated circulating levels of YKL-40 are a marker of abnormal glucose tolerance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates human cartilage glycoprotein-39 (YKL-40) levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls, and tests their relationship with metabolic and hormonal parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical study carried out in a university hospital in Tekirdag, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-five women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and twenty-five women with PCOS and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), diagnosed according to Rotterdam criteria, and fifty-nine healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  YKL-40 levels, fasting hormone levels and metabolic parameters were investigated in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We showed increased YKL-40 levels in women with PCOS compared to controls. (152·57 ± 3·96 μg/l vs 98·16 ± 1·6 μg/l, P < 0·000). YKL significantly correlated with BMI (r = 0·344; P < 0·000), 2-h glucose (r = 0·193; P = 0·012), HOMA-IR (r = 0·268; P < 0·000) and fasting insulin (r = 0·310; P < 0·000), but not with waist/hip ratio (r = 0·016; P = 0·832) and fasting glucose (r = 0·108; P = 0·832). When ROC curve analysis was used to analyse the suitability of YKL-40 to identify glucose intolerance in women with PCOS, area under curve for YKL-40 was found to be significant (AGT-PCOS: AUC 0·632, P = 0·046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma YKL-40 levels increased in patients with PCOS compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, there was a significant difference in YKL-40 levels between AGT-PCOS and NGT-PCOS subjects. Subsequently, we also found that YKL-40 levels above the cut-off point may help the clinician to predict abnormal glucose tolerance in patients with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Namik Kemal University, Turkey. ccelik@nku.edu.tr
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abali
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guzel
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastu
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kucukyalcin
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D007328:Insulin; D037102:Lectins