Correlation between protein YKL-40 and ultrasonographic findings in active knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

The aim of our study was to analyze the level of the glycoprotein YKL-40 in patients with active knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to search possible correlations with local inflammation and ultrasound (US) findings.

Material and methods: A prospective study with fifty consecutive patients with active knee OA (diagnosed based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria for OA with radiographic confirmation) was performed. Concentrations of YKL-40 in serum and synovial fluid were measured by ELISA. US examinations – Gray scale (GS) US and Power Doppler (PD) US – of the knee was performed according to international guidelines. The suprapatellar, medial and lateral parapatellar recesses were scanned in each knee to evaluate synovial hypertrophy and vascularization.

Results: Forty women (mean age 61.50±11.33 years old) and 10 men (aged 68.50±6.60 years old) were enrolled. We found that the synovial level of the glycoprotein (237.80±104.08 ng/ml) was significantly higher compared to the serum concentration (112.83±60.61 ng/ml, p<0.001). The serum concentration in OA patients was higher comparing with age-matched healthy controls (84.19±11.39 ng/ml) (p<0.05). A statistically significant association between YKL- 40 in synovial fluid and serum levels was shown. We determined a moderately positive linear relationship between the synovial level of the glycoprotein and the serum concentration. No association between the levels of inflammatory markers – erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein – and YKL-40 concentrations was detected. Our study revealed a strong relationship between YKL-40 in synovial fluid and GS US and feeble with PD US. YKL-40 correlated with inflammatory activity in knee joints and neovascularization detected by US.

Conclusions: YKL-40 is involved in the pathogenesis of OA synovitis. Evaluation of YKL-40 levels in parallel with US might provide more sensitive and reliable information for the diagnosis and understanding of OA.