Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with chronic heart failure

TY - JOUR

T1 - Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with chronic heart failure

AU - Rathcke, C.N.

AU - Kistorp, C.

AU - Raymond, I.

AU - Hildebrandt, P.

AU - Gustafsson, F.

AU - Lip, G.Y.H.

AU - Faber, J.

AU - Vestergaard, H.

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Objectives. Congestive heart failure (CHF) has been associated with elevated biomarker levels reflecting chronic low-grade inflammation. YKL-40 is a biomarker with increasing levels in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) of increasing severity. Furthermore, YKL-40 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. We investigated plasma YKL-40 levels in patients with CHF and evaluated the possible predictive value with respect to overall mortality and recurrent cardiovascular outcomes. Design. Plasma YKL-40 was measured in 194 CHF patients and in 117 age-matched individuals without CVD. Results. Median YKL-40 levels were approximately 77% higher in patients with CHF (106 (IQR, 66-184) ng/ml vs. 60 (IQR, 42-97) ng/ml, p < 0.0001). We found a trend towards an association of YKL-40 levels with urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (β=0.12, p=0.08). YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality (p 0.59), major cardiovascular events (p=0.23) or events of incompensation (p=0.56). Conclusions. Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with CHF but show no association with other clinical or paraclinical variables. YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality or incident cardiovascular events. Most likely, elevated YKL-40 levels in CHF patients are explained by the presence of concomitant diseases but a role of YKL-40 in low-grade inflammation is not excluded.

AB - Objectives. Congestive heart failure (CHF) has been associated with elevated biomarker levels reflecting chronic low-grade inflammation. YKL-40 is a biomarker with increasing levels in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) of increasing severity. Furthermore, YKL-40 is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. We investigated plasma YKL-40 levels in patients with CHF and evaluated the possible predictive value with respect to overall mortality and recurrent cardiovascular outcomes. Design. Plasma YKL-40 was measured in 194 CHF patients and in 117 age-matched individuals without CVD. Results. Median YKL-40 levels were approximately 77% higher in patients with CHF (106 (IQR, 66-184) ng/ml vs. 60 (IQR, 42-97) ng/ml, p < 0.0001). We found a trend towards an association of YKL-40 levels with urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (β=0.12, p=0.08). YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality (p 0.59), major cardiovascular events (p=0.23) or events of incompensation (p=0.56). Conclusions. Plasma YKL-40 levels are elevated in patients with CHF but show no association with other clinical or paraclinical variables. YKL-40 levels were not predictive of overall mortality or incident cardiovascular events. Most likely, elevated YKL-40 levels in CHF patients are explained by the presence of concomitant diseases but a role of YKL-40 in low-grade inflammation is not excluded.

U2 - 10.3109/14017430903402218

DO - 10.3109/14017430903402218

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1401-7431

VL - 44

SP - 92

EP - 99

JO - Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal

JF - Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal

IS - 2

ER -