Background: YKL-40 is involved in remodelling and angiogenesis in non-cardiac inflammatory diseases. Aim was to quantitate plasma YKL-40 in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or stable chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), and YKL-40 gene activation in human myocardium.
Methods and results: We included 73 patients: I) 20 patients with STEMI; II) 28 patients with stable CAD; III) 15 CAD patients referred for coronary by-pass surgery. YKL-40 mRNA expression was measured in myocardium subtended by stenotic or occluded arteries and areas with no apparent disease; and IV) 10 age-matched healthy controls. Plasma YKL-40 was significantly increased in patients with STEMI (88 microg/l, median) and CAD (66 microg/l) compared to controls (16 microg/l, p<0.01 for both). Plasma YKL-40 correlated with CRP at baseline in STEMI (r=0.53, p=0.02) and CAD patients (r=0.41, p=0.031).YKL-40 gene expression was similar in ischemic and non-ischemic myocardium.
Conclusions: Plasma YKL-40 was significantly increased in patients with STEMI and stable CAD. Further studies will define the role of YKL-40 as a clinically useful marker for myocardial ischemia, remodelling and maybe prognosis.