title: YKL-40 is correlated with FEV1 and the asthma control test (ACT) in asthmatic patients: influence of treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  YKL-40 is also called chitinase-3-like-1 (CHI3L1) protein and may be a marker for asthma. The aims of the present study were to investigate whether serum YKL-40 levels are stable or decreased in patients with asthma after appropriate treatment and to evaluate the correlation of YKL-40 levels with lung function and asthma control test (ACT) results.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 103 asthmatic patients (mean age 33.1 ± 0.9 years) with diagnosed asthma were enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a detailed clinical examination and completed the ACT questionnaire, serum YKL-40 measurement, and spirometry before (visit 1) and 8 weeks after initiation of treatment (visit 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the follow-up, the median serum YKL-40 level was significantly decreased compared to the levels at visit 1 (75.2 [55.8-86.8] ng/ml versus 54.5 [46.4-58.4] ng/ml, p < 0.001). The serum YKL-40 level was negatively correlated with %FEV1 (r = -0.37, p < 0.001) and ACT score (r = -0.26, p = 0.007) at visit 1. The change in serum YKL-40 levels between the visits was significantly correlated with changes in FEV1 (r = -0.28, p = 0.006) and ACT score (r = -0.22, p = 0.037). Patients with elevated YKL-40 levels had significantly greater corticosteroid use than patients with lower levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  YKL-40 was reduced in the serum of asthmatic patients after appropriate treatment, and the levels correlated with improvements in %FEV1 and ACT. High levels of serum YKL-40 may be refractory to current asthma treatments.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ChiCTR-OCC-13003316.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. laitianwen2011@163.com.
authors.forename: Tianwen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. colbygdmc@163.com.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315020, China. dengzaichun982136@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zaichun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. 352768539@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: L
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. wudong98@126.com.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. 245737076@qq.com.
authors.forename: Dongming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medicine College, Zhanjiang, 524000, China. wubin621011@126.com.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins