Association between human cartilage glycoprotein 39 (YKL-40) and arterial stiffness in essential hypertension.
BACKGROUND
YKL-40, a proposed marker of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, is associated with atherosclerosis and an increased cardiovascular mortality in the general population. However, the relationship between YKL-40 and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients has not been adequately assessed.


METHODS
The relationship between serum levels of YKL-40 and arterial stiffness was evaluated in 93 essential hypertensive subjects and 80 normal subjects. Essential hypertensive subjects were divided into two groups based upon urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR): nonmicroalbuminuric group, (ACR <30 mg/g, n = 50) and microalbuminuric group (ACR ≥ 30 mg/g, n = 43). Large artery wall stiffness was assessed by measuring femoral arterial stiffness and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). Serum levels of YKL-40 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
The study demonstrated that YKL-40,cf-PWV and femoral arterial stiffness were increased significantly (P<0.05) in the hypertensive group compared with normal controls. These measurements were also increased significantly ( P<0.05) in the microalbuminuric group compared with the nonmicroalbuminuric group. YKL-40 was positively correlated with cf-PWV( r = 0.44, P = 0.000) and femoral arterial stiffness ( r = 0.42, P =0.001). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that YKL-40 was the impact factor of arterial stiffness ( P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
YKL-40 levels are elevated in essential hypertension subjects with an independent association between increasing YKL-40 levels and increasing arterial stiffness. The study suggests it played a positive role of YKL-40 in the progressing vascular complications in patients with essential hypertension.
Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, China.
Wei-hong
WH
Ma
Xiu-ling
XL
Wang
Yi-meng
YM
Du
Yi-biao
YB
Wang
Yan
Y
Zhang
De-e
DE
Wei
Lin-lin
LL
Guo
Pei-Li
PL
Bu
D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D015854:Up-Regulation; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D037102:Lectins; D003404:Creatinine