RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Chitotriosidase: A sensitive biomarker of sarcoidosis JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 4518 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Elena Bargagli A1 David Bennett A1 Claudia Maggiorelli A1 Maria Grazia Pieroni A1 Rosa Metella Refini A1 Maria Grazia Perari A1 Paola Rottoli YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/4518.abstract AB Chitotriosidase is a member of family of glycosylhydrolases, enzymes involved in the degradation of chitin and chitin-like substrate, identified in a wide variety of organisms. Increased concentrations of chitotriosidase have been reported in several lysosomal storage diseases and more recently also in sarcoidosis.In this study chitotriosidase concentrations were evaluated in a population of 233 sarcoidosis patients and 70 controls in order to verify enzyme specificity and sensibility and to evaluate chitotriosidase prognostic meaning.Chitotriosidase has been found significantly increased in serum of patients with sarcoidosis than in controls (p< 0.0001). ROC curve analysis revealed: cut-off value of 39.50 nmol/h/ml, sensitivity 89,70% and specifity 90%. The analysis of chitotriosidase in different phenotypic subgroups of patients revealed very high serum enzyme levels in symptomatic patients requiring systemic steroid therapy at onset and after disease relapses.In conclusion as a new potential biomarker of sarcoidosis severity, chitotriosidase resulted sensitive, reproducible and easily detectable in serum.