• Asmaa A Ali, Rasha N Yousef, Mai S Elsheikh, Abeer R Salamah, Liang L Wu, Alshaimaa R Alnaggar, Noha M Khalil, and Mervat E Behiry.
• Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, P. R., Zhenjiang, China.
• Ir J Med Sci. 2023 Oct 24.

BackgroundThe biological function of YKL-40 is not well determined in different inflammatory and autoimmune diseases; however, some data highlighted its possible connection with disease activity.AimWe investigated the diagnostic utility of serum YKL-40 in patients with SLE and examined its correlation with disease activity. Additionally, we examined any differences in serum YKL-40 levels between juvenile and adult SLE patients.MethodsWe included 78 female patients with SLE and 42 controls. The level of YKL-40 in serum was measured by ELISA.ResultsThe serum YKL-40 level in SLE patients was significantly higher compared to the control group (9 (3) ng/mL vs. 5.5 (0.1) ng/mL; p < 0.001). YKL-40 showed excellent diagnostic utility with an AUC of 1 (p < 0.001) and a cutoff point of 5.6, providing sensitivity and specificity of 100%. YKL-40 was higher in adolescents and those with a positive family history of SLE (p = 0.01 for both) and positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). YKL-40 level was significantly higher in patients with photosensitivity, fever, vasculitis, blood disorders, positive anti-dsDNA, and APL ab (p < 0.05 for all). Conversely, patients with skin manifestations had a significantly lower YKL-40 (p = 0.004). In juvenile SLE, the AUC was 0.65 and a p-value of 0.01, and at a cutoff value of (8.7) ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity were 72% and 60%, respectively.ConclusionYKL-40 in serum could be a promising biomarker in patients with SLE, especially in adolescent-onset cases. It is independently influenced by disease duration, anemia, thrombocytopenia, positive anti-dsDNA, and APL ab features.© 2023. The Author(s).

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