YKL-40 Level and Hypertension Incidence: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study in China

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Biomarkers
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Human cartilage glycoprotein-39 (YKL-40) is implicated in inflammation and atherosclerosis.
• Its role as an independent risk factor for hypertension incidence remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between plasma YKL-40 levels and the incidence of hypertension.
• To explore potential interactions with age and sex.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study was conducted within a prospective cohort of 12,423 Chinese adults.
• Plasma YKL-40 concentrations were measured in 700 new-onset hypertension cases and 700 matched controls.
• Multiple conditional logistic regression analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• Overall, YKL-40 levels were not associated with hypertension risk in the total population.
• In men, higher YKL-40 tertiles showed a significant increase in hypertension risk (P for trend=0.02).
• An interaction between YKL-40 and sex was observed (P<0.01), with higher risk in men and a non-significant trend towards decreased risk in women.

Conclusions:

• YKL-40 is associated with hypertension incidence specifically in men.
• Further validation through prospective cohort studies or clinical trials is warranted.