INCREASED CHITOTRIOSIDASE ACTIVITIES IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A POSSIBLE NOVEL MARKER?

Abstract

Background: Chitotriosidase and YKL-40 are well-known in humans as Glyco_18 domain-containing proteins that are the common feature of mammalian chitinases and chitinase-like proteins. Previously, increased levels of YKL-40 were found correlated with the disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis. However, serum chitotriosidase activity in rheumatoid arthritis is not known yet. The aim of this study was to determine YKL-40 and chitotriosidase in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to compare these markers with traditional ones such as C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.