Using the Level of Serum YKL-40 as an Indicator to the Pathogenesis of Allergic Asthma and Helminths Infection

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of YKL-40 as a possible marker in the diagnosis of allergic asthma and to study its relationship with the level of total and specific serum IgE in allergic asthmatic patients and allergic asthmatics with helminths infection. This study included 150 patients, 100 patients with allergic asthma and 50 patients having allergic asthma and helminths infection, fifty subjects of them were males and 100 females, age 15–60 years. In addition, 30 healthy individuals were depended as a control, divided into 14 males and 16 females age 15–60 years. For each subject, the medical history was considered. The total and specific IgE, as well as the YKL-40, were determined in the patients’ sera using ELISA technique. The mean serum level of total IgE was 374.540 IU/mL in allergic asthmatic subjects, which is significantly different from its value in the healthy control, mean 29.216 IU/mL, and in the group of allergic asthma with helminths infection, mean 472.242 IU/mL. In addition, the IgE level was also significantly different in the subjects of allergic asthma with helminths infection from its level in healthy control.