linked to most severe form of asthma
A protein measured in a simple blood test may be a new biomarker to identify patients with the most serious form of asthma,
Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the Nov. 15 issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine. — By Jacqueline Weaver
T H I S
Identifying this new biomarker, YKL-40, brings investigators one step closer
to a treatment for the nation’s 2.5 million asthmatics who have a severe
form of the disease that is difficult to treat, the researchers say.
The studies were done in collaboration with investigators in Wisconsin and
France, and at MedImmune Inc.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lung that affects more than 30 million Americans,
among them nine million children. It is characterized by chronic inflammation
and structural changes in the airways — symptoms that are severe in some
patients and mild in others. Investigators are trying to find ways to control
the inflammation and to understand the variation in severity.
The researchers evaluated serum levels of YKL-40 in 253 adults patients in
three asthma and control groups at Yale, the University of Wisconsin and the
University of Paris. They found increased circulating serum levels of YKL-40
in patients with asthma compared to those without the disease. In addition,
blood levels of YKL-40 correlated with asthma severity, lung function and thickness
of the patients’ bronchial wall.
“The results demonstrate that YKL-40 is significantly elevated in severe
asthma,” says Dr. Geoffrey Chupp, associate professor of medicine at Yale
and the lead author on the study. “Having a blood test to characterize
asthmatics will be useful in pursuing asthma research and potentially in managing
asthma.”
He says that research on the biology of YKL-40 should be incorporated into
investigations on the pathogenesis of asthma, and that additional studies are
needed to define the potential role of a YKL-40 blood test in asthma management.
Dr. Jack Elias, professor and chair of medicine and professor of immunobiology
at Yale, and senior author of the study, says the study is among the first
to define a parameter for asthma that can be assessed with a blood test.
“This may allow us to identify a subpopulation of patients with severe
asthma and give us insights into the biologic processes that make the disease
so severe in these individuals,” Elias notes. “Our studies also have
demonstrated that eliminating YKL-40 decreases specific types of tissue inflammation — which
could be of particular benefit to asthmatic patients with an elevated level of
this protein.”
Co-authors include Yale researchers Dr. Chun Lee, Dr. Yun Shim, Carole Holm,
Dr. Susan He, James Dziura and Dr. Mark Cullen; Nizar Jarjour of the University
of Wisconsin; Jennifer Reed and Peter Keiner of Medimmune; Martine Grandsaigne,
Dr. Michel Aubier and Marina Pretolani of Institut National de la Santé et
de la Recherche, Paris; and Dr. Marie-Christine Dombret, of Service de Pneumologie
A, Paris.
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IN MEMORIAM
Dr. Barry Goldberg, devoted career to the safety of athletes
Dr. James Kenney, was the ‘doctor’s doctor’ to many
Dr. Nicholas Spinelli, was active in alumni affairs
Longtime professor Stanton Wheeler dies on Dec. 7
Memorial service for Eugene Waith
Stately affairs
Campus Notes
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