title: Serum YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 level is an independent predictor of atherosclerosis development in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The inflammatory process plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular complications in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 is a novel biomarker of systemic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate whether carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a useful marker for early atherosclerosis, is associated with serum YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 levels in patients with normotensive and nondiabetic OSAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 40 OSAS patients and 40 age- sex- and body mass index-matched healthy controls. Serum YKL-40 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CIMT was measured by B-mode ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with OSAS had significantly increased CIMT and higher YKL-40 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels than those of the controls. CIMT was strongly correlated with serum YKL-40 levels (r=0.694, p<0.001), hsCRP (r=0.622, p<0.001), age (r=0.525, p=0.001), and weakly correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (r=0.365, p=0.021) and the percentage of recording time spent (PRTS) of oxygen saturation<90% (r=0.488, p=0.001). Moreover, it was detected that serum YKL-40 levels were strongly correlated with AHI (r=0.617, p<0.001), and weakly correlated with SaO2<90% of PRTS (r=0.394, p=0.012) and hsCRP (r=0.486, p=0.001). In multiple regression analyses, age and serum levels of YKL-40 and hsCRP were found to be independent predictors of CIMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with OSAS, CIMT was increased. This increase was associated with serum YKL-40 level. Increased serum level of YKL-40 may be an early predictor of atherosclerosis development in patients with OSAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey. eftalka@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Eftal Murat
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bakırcı
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Edhem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ünver
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hüsnü
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Değirmenci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tülay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kıvanç
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günay
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hikmet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamur
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mutlu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büyüklü
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceyhun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taha Abdulkadir
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Çoban
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D037102:Lectins