Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples
Published on: August 22, 2019
An Important Question: Can Serum Chitotriosidase Enzyme Predict the Activity and Clinical Course of Sarcoidosis
Ece Şahinoğlu1,2, Haşim Boyacı2, Hale Maral Kır3
1Department of Immunology and Allergic Disease, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.
Objective:
Serum chitotriosidase (CHIT) is a promising biomarker that has shown high specificity and sensitivity in patients with sarcoidosis. Our study aimed to evaluate the CHIT enzyme concerning the activity, prognosis, and treatment decision of sarcoidosis.
Material And Methods:
The patients with the following characteristics were included in our single-center study as long as they agreed to participate. These patients were newly or previously diagnosed with sarcoidosis according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders and consulted the outpatient clinic of chest diseases in our university hospital between August 2020 and April 2021. The patients with sarcoidosis were categorized into 3 groups: 1) diagnosed as sarcoidosis but not having the treatment indication; 2) previouslytreated or currently receiving treatment; and 3) newly diagnosed and having a treatment indication.
Results:
A total of 126 sarcoidosis patients and 43 healthy volunteers were included. The median value of serum CHIT enzyme levels in patients with sarcoidosis was determined to be 9.8 ng/mL, while it was 5.1 ng/mL in the control group. It was determined that the serum CHIT levels were notably higher in patients with sarcoidosis (P = 0.000). In the serum CHIT levels of the newly-treated patient, a significant reduction was observed after the 6-month treatment (P = 0.008), in comparison with these levels noted at the time of diagnosis.
Conclusion:
Our study demonstrated that the serum CHIT has a high sensitivity and high specificity in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and a reduction in the level of that enzyme occurs upon treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests

