YKL-40 a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis of ILD

YKL-40 may potentially be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), according to a study.

In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 articles on the role of YKL-40 in patients with ILD, serum YKL-40 levels were higher in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, connective tissue-related ILD, sarcoidosis, cryptogenic tissue pneumonia, asbestosis-ILD, and idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia than controls. In patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, YKL-40 levels were not higher.

Patients with different types of ILD also had different serum YKL-40 levels, the researchers said, noting that patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis had significantly higher bronchoalveolar lavage fluid YKL-40 levels than controls. A systematic review also showed a correlation between serum YKL-40 levels and lung function in different types of ILD.

“In addition, YKL-40 may be used as a valuable biomarker for survival, with risk ratios ranging from 1.006 to 10.9,” the authors concluded.

Reference
Tong X, Ma Y, Liu T, et al. Can YKL-40 be used as a biomarker for interstitial lung disease?: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021;100(17):e25631. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000025631. PMID: 33907118.