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Association between YKL-40 and asthma: a systematic meta-analysis
Yihan Jin1, Jie Song1, Fang Xu2
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China.
Insights
Serum YKL-40 levels are elevated in asthma patients and correlate with disease severity and exacerbations. This protein may aid in asthma diagnosis and differentiating it from COPD and ACO.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), also known as YKL-40, is implicated in various inflammatory conditions.
- Previous research suggests a link between YKL-40 and asthma, but its precise role requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the utility of serum YKL-40 in asthma diagnosis.
- To assess YKL-40's role in grading asthma severity and determining disease state.
- To investigate YKL-40's effectiveness in the differential diagnosis of asthma from COPD and ACO.
Main Methods:
- A systematic meta-analysis was performed.
- Searches were conducted across PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases.
- Data from 17 articles encompassing 5696 subjects were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in asthma patients compared to healthy individuals, irrespective of age or location.
- YKL-40 levels increased with asthma severity and during acute exacerbations.
- Significant differences in YKL-40 levels were observed between asthma, COPD, and asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACO).
Conclusions:
- YKL-40 shows potential as a serological marker for asthma diagnosis.
- Serum YKL-40 can aid in assessing asthma severity and disease status.
- YKL-40 may be valuable for differentiating asthma from COPD and ACO.
Purpose:
Many studies have shown that chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), also known as YKL-40, is associated with asthma. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the role of serum YKL-40 in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of asthma, severity grading, and determination of disease state.
Methods:
The PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases were searched. A total of 17 articles involving 5696 subjects were included in this meta-analysis.
Results:
The results showed that the level of YKL-40 was significantly higher in asthmatic patients than in the normal group regardless of age and residential location, and increased with severity and acute exacerbation (p < 0.05). YKL-40 levels were significantly different between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, and also between asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACO) and asthma (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
YKL-40 may act as a potential serological marker for the diagnosis of asthma, assessment of severity, indicator of the disease state, and differential diagnosis of COPD, ACO, and asthma.
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