Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Endocan (endothelial cell-specific molecule-1) is a soluble dermatan sulfate proteoglycan of the extracellular matrix released into the circulation by vascular endothelial cells and involved in vascular processes in which endothelial cell activation occurs. In this study, we aimed to evaluate serum and urinary endocan levels in children with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) during the acute disease and follow-up period, compared with controls, and to evaluate associated clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: Children were evaluated in three groups: HUS patients in the active stage (Group 1, HUS-active stage, n=15), HUS patients followed until the resolution of active disease (Group 2, HUS-follow-up, n=10) and healthy controls (Group 3, n=15). Clinical parameters and renal outcomes were compared between the groups based on serum and urinary endocan levels. RESULTS: The pairwise group comparisons of the urinary endocan levels (median; Q1-Q3) revealed statistically significant differences between Group 1 (2148; 1592-3068 ng/gCr) and Group 2 (1274; 733-1565 ng/gCr), and between Group 1 and Group 3 (954; 517-1966 ng/gCr) (P<0.01), but not between Group 2 and Group 3 (P>0.05). The serum endocan level showed no statistically significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). When all groups were evaluated together, urinary endocan level showed positive correlations with white blood cell counts (r= 0.63, P<0.001), and with lactic dehydrogenase (r= 0.51, P<0.001), blood urea nitrogen (r= 0.48, P<0.05) and serum creatinine levels (r= 0.50, P<0.001). However, urinary endocan levels showed negative correlations with hemoglobin (r= -0.57, P<0.001) and platelet levels (r= -0.37, P<0.05), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (r= -0.45, P<0.001). The urinary endocan levels of patients with HUS decreased significantly during follow-up (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that urinary endocan levels were significantly elevated in HUS patients in the active stage. In addition, several important laboratory parameters in the HUS clinic were associated with urine endocan levels.
Authors: Muhammet Akif Güler, Muhammet Çelik
Institution: Atatürk University
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7117248902