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Increased serum YKL-40 levels in children with sickle cell disease
Veysi Akbey1, Selma Ünal2, Özlem Tezol1
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Türkiye.
Insights
YKL-40 levels are elevated in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), indicating a potential role in chronic inflammation. These levels may help monitor inflammation in SCD patients.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Hematology
- Inflammation Research
Background:
- YKL-40, a glycoprotein, is linked to inflammation and vascular dysfunction.
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) involves inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum YKL-40 levels in pediatric patients with SCD.
- To compare YKL-40 levels between children with SCD in steady state, during vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum YKL-40 concentrations were measured in 33 children with SCD and 33 healthy controls.
- Patients were assessed during steady state and, if applicable, during VOC episodes.
- YKL-40 levels were compared across these groups.
Main Results:
- Children with SCD showed significantly higher YKL-40 levels than healthy controls during both steady state (p=0.001) and VOC episodes (p=0.005).
- YKL-40 levels did not significantly differ between steady state and VOC episodes within the SCD group (p=0.381).
- No significant correlation was found between YKL-40 levels at steady state and during VOC episodes (p=0.955).
Conclusions:
- YKL-40 may play a role in the inflammatory component of sickle cell disease.
- Circulating YKL-40 levels could serve as a biomarker for monitoring chronic inflammation in pediatric SCD patients.
Background:
YKL-40 is a glycoprotein secreted by various cell lines during inflammation and vascular dysfunction. Sickle cell disease (SCD) also involves inflammation and endothelial dysfunction processes. Thus, we aimed to assess the levels of YKL-40 in pediatric SCD patients.
Methods:
We evaluated serum levels of YKL-40 in children with steady state SCD and those with vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) episodes and compared them with healthy subjects.
Results:
Overall, 33 children with SCD and 33 healthy controls participated in this study. Serum YKL-40 concentrations of children with steady state SCD were significantly higher than the concentrations found in the healthy controls (median [Q1-Q3]: 71.0 [53.3-133.3] vs. 43.6 [37.9-69.9] ng/mL, p=0.001). Seventeen of the 33 children with SCD (51.5%) had a VOC during the one-year follow-up period. Steady state and VOC episode YKL-40 did not significantly differ in children who were experiencing VOC during the one-year follow-up (77.6 [55.2-126.8] vs. 69.7 [49.3-100.0] ng/mL, p=0.381). During VOC episodes, children with SCD had significantly higher YKL-40 levels than the healthy controls (69.7 [49.3-100.0] vs. 43.6 [37.9-69.9] ng/mL, p=0.005). YKL-40 levels at steady state and during VOC episodes did not show significant correlation (p=0.955).
Conclusions:
YKL-40 may have a potential role in the inflammation component of SCD. Circulating YKL-40 levels may be used to monitor chronic inflammation in SCD patients.
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