JOURNAL OF PERIODONTOLOGY, vol.85, no.9, pp.1240-1246, 2014 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: YKL-40, a new acute-phase protein, is shown to be elevated in inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery diseases. However, there is no data indicating a relationship between YKL-40 and periodontal disease. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the major regulator of acute-phase protein synthesis and one of the most studied inflammatory markers in periodontal disease. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate YKL-40 and IL-6 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum of patients with periodontal disease and healthy individuals.