AIM: The aim was to investigate the inflammatory biomarker YKL-40 as a monitor of myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS: A total of 311 patients with stable CAD were included. Blood samples were taken at baseline, the day after coronary angiography and/or after percutaneous coronary intervention and after 6 months.

RESULTS: A total of 148 (48%) patients were revascularized and 163 patients underwent only coronary angiography. In the entire population, serum YKL-40 increased significantly from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.05). This tendency was seen in nonrevascularized patients (p = 0.06), but not in revascularized patients (p = 0.46). Serum YKL-40 increased approximately 25% the day after the invasive procedure (p < 0.001) and then decreased significantly to nearly baseline after 6 months (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION: Serum YKL-40 is a potential promising biomarker of disease progression but not of myocardial ischemia in patients with stable CAD.