title: Plasma YKL-40 in Inuit and Danes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there are differences in plasma levels of YKL-40 between Inuit in Greenland and in Denmark and in Danes, as well as to study the relationship between alcohol intake, plasma YKL-40 and other factors in Inuit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma YKL-40 levels were measured on 1645 people from The Greenland Population Study (a cross-sectional population study of Inuit from Denmark and West Greenland) and were compared with the plasma YKL-40 levels of 8899 people from The Copenhagen City Heart Study (a population-based, prospective study of the Danish general population).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma concentrations of YKL-40 were significantly (P = 0.001) lower in Inuit living in Greenland (median 46 µg/l, range 10-2164, n = 1164) compared with the plasma YKL-40 levels of Inuit living in Denmark (median 63 µg/l, range 20-2827, n = 481) and of Danes living in Denmark (median 55 µg/l, range 10-2909, n = 8899). In Inuit, increased alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased plasma YKL-40 levels (P < 0.001), and high plasma YKL-40 levels were associated with high values of alkaline phosphatase and low values of albumin. Smoking, gender and bilirubin were not associated with the plasma YKL-40 level. High levels of YKL-40 and alcohol were associated with where people lived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The plasma concentrations of YKL-40 are significantly lower in Inuit living in Greenland than Inuit and Danes living in Denmark. A number of factors, including different alcohol intake patterns, nutrition and genes may play a role in these findings.
authors.affiliation: Gastrounit, Medical Division, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark mille@dadlnet.dk.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nøjgaard
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark.
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bjerregaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark The Copenhagen City Heart Study, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Stig E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bojesen
authors.affiliation: Gastrounit, Medical Division, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ulrik
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D037102:Lectins