الفهرس 
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Abstract
Background: Psoriasis is an inflammatory, papulosquamous disease of the skin. Serum YKL-40 is a useful biomarker of inflammation in psoriasis as well as other inflammatory diseases.
Objectives: To compare the levels of serum and tissue YKL-40 as a reliable biomarker of inflammation in psoriasis vulgaris patients versus controls.
Patients and methods: We performed a case-control study in 30 Egyptian patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 30 controls. Cases and controls were selected excluding pregnant females, individuals with any malignancies, patients who received systemic treatment for psoriasis for 1 month prior to their inclusion in the study and patients who received topical treatment for psoriasis 2 weeks prior to their inclusion in the study. The serum & tissue levels of YKL-40 were measured using ELISA technique.
Results: Both the serum and tissue levels of YKL-40 were elevated in psoriasis patients when compared with controls (p < 0.01). These levels correlated highly with PASI score; both serum and tissue YKl-40 levels were significantly higher in patients with moderate psoriasis as compared with those with mild psoriasis. On the other hand, there was no statistical correlation between the serum and tissue levels of YKL-40 and age, BMI or disease duration.
Conclusion: The significant elevation in serum and tissue levels of YKl-40 in psoriatic patients when compared with healthy controls validates the marker in question as a reliable biomarker of inflammation in psoriasis vulgaris patients.