Endocan as a potential biomarker of disease severity and exacerbations in COPD

Abstract

Introduction Endocan is a proteoglycan that is regarded as a novel marker of endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary vascular bed is known to play an important role for the pathogenesis of COPD. Objective This study aimed to determine serum endocan levels in patients with stable COPD and acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and to test the relationship between serum endocan levels and exacerbations. Methods This study enrolled a total of 55 COPD patients, 24 of which had AECOPD and 31 had stable COPD. All patients’ basic demographic and clinical data were recorded and blood samples were collected. Results Serum endocan levels were significantly higher in the AECOPD group compared to the stable COPD and control groups (for both p < 0.001) and stable COPD group had higher levels than the control group (p < 0.005). Additionally, serum endocan levels were negatively correlated with FVC, FEV1, partial oxygen pressure and oxygen saturation (r = −0.30, p = 0.03; r = −0.34, p = 0.01; r = −0.34, p = 0.01 and r = −0.36, p = 0.007 respectively), and positively correlated with disease duration and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.47, p < 0.001; r = 0.31, p = 0.02 respectively). A cut‐off value of 434.29 pg/ml for endocan predicted exacerbation with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 84% (AUC: 0.778, 95% Cl 0.648‐0.909; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that increased endocan levels was independent predictor of COPD exacerbation (OR = 9.32, 95%CI, 1.64‐52.95; p = 0.01). Conclusion Endocan may be a novel biomarker for detection of endothelial dysfunction and prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD.

Targeting of Glycosaminoglycans in Genetic and Inflammatory Airway Disease

“…Serum endocan levels were significantly higher in COPD patients compared to healthy control subjects, however, when patients were classified according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria, no relationship between GOLD COPD categories and endocan levels was recorded [ 105 ]. Further studies were designed to explore the relationship between serum endocan and acute exacerbations of COPD, with significantly increased serum endocan levels detected during an exacerbation, which negatively correlated with forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), partial oxygen pressure and oxygen saturation [ 106 ]. With regards to GAGs, considerably increased serum levels of HS, yet decreased levels of CS, have been reported during an exacerbation as compared to stable-state COPD [ 107 ].…”

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk assessment tools: is one better than the others?

“…Low concentrations of interleukin-15, a pleiotropic cytokine that induces proliferation of natural killer cells, and high concentrations of interleukin-8, a cytokine targeting neutrophils, have been associated with an increased risk of exacerbations [8]. High levels of endotrophin and von Willebrand factor as well as other markers of epithelial repair, alveolar destruction, and endothelial dysfunction have been correlated with higher morbidity and mortality in COPD [53 ▪ –56 ▪ ]. Low-serum IgG and free light chain levels have been linked to a higher risk of exacerbation and hospitalization, which suggests a potential role for intravenous immunoglobulin administration in COPD patients with recurrent exacerbations [57 ▪ –59 ▪ ].…”