Serum YKL-40 and MDA levels in Behcet disease.

OBJECTIVE: To measure plasma levels of chitinase-3-like 1 protein and its association with malondialdehyde in Behcet's disease patients.

METHODS: The case-control study was conducted at Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University Erzurum, Turkey, from October 2012 to March 2014, and comprised patients with Behcet's disease and healthy subjects. The patients were divided into two groups, as active and inactive, based on the classification of phases of activity in Behcet's disease. Differences between groups were analysed. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.

RESULTS: Of the 79 participants, 51(64.56%) were patients and 28(35.44%) were controls. The mean age of the first group was 29.45±7.82 years and the second group was 32.21±9.61 years. Among patients, 37(72.55%) were categorised as "active" and 14(27.45%) as "inactive". Median serum Chitinase-3-like 1 protein and malondialdehyde levels were 37.57 ng/mL (interquartilerange: 13.7-293.0 ng/mL) in patients and 26.25 ng/mL (interquartile range: 17.0-44.7 ng/mL) in controls. There was no significant correlation between Chitinase-3-like 1 protein and malondialdehyde (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Chitinase-3-like 1 protein might be associated with Behcet's disease. Elevated malondialdehyde levels were not only the cause of inflammation but also indicator of oxidative stress in Behcet's disease.