A New Diagnostic Biomarker for Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Endocan Level

Abstract

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease affecting the human central nervous system. Many molecules are involved in its pathophysiology and help determine prognosis. The goal of this study was to determine serum endocan levels in patients with inactive MS. Methods: A total of 96 participants were included in the study; 48 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (mean age: 37.46±12.53, 20 men/28 women) and 48 controls (mean age: 38.22±18.57, 22 men/26 women). After the samples were thawed under appropriate conditions, serum endocan levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between endocan levels and the Expanded Disability Status Scale, demographic characteristics and medications were analyzed. Results: The endocan concentration was 371.04±67.39 ng/l in patients with MS and 1003.78±110.63 ng/l in the controls. Patients with MS had significantly lower levels of endocan than the controls did (P=.003). Endokan had the lowest diagnostic value (AUC=0.67, (95% CI, 0.56-0.78) as the cut-off value (229.50), sensitivity (63.04%) and specifity (39.13%) in the MS group. In this study, no significant differences were detected between Endocan and the other clinical parameters. Conclusion: According to the results of our study, compared withthose in healthy patients, endocan levels in MS patients were lower. It was concluded that the edokan level can be used as a biomarker in MS patients.

Keywords

• Diagnostic biomarker
• EDSS
• endocan
• inflammation
• multiple sclerosis

Multipl Skleroz Hastalarında Yeni Bir Tanısal Biyobelirteç: Endokan Düzeyi

Öz

Amaç: Multipl skleroz (MS), insan merkezi sinir sistemini etkileyen, immün aracılı demiyelinizan bir hastalıktır. Patofizyolojisinde rol alan ve prognozun belirlenmesine yardımcı olan birçok molekül bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, inaktif MS hastalarında serum endokan düzeyini ve bunun patogenezdeki rolünü belirlemektir. Yöntemler: Çalışmaya toplam 96 katılımcı dâhil edildi; bunların 48’i relapsing-remitting MS hastası (ortalama yaş: 37,46±12,53; 20 erkek/28 kadın) ve 48’i kontrol grubuydu (ortalama yaş: 38,22±18,57; 22 erkek/26 kadın). Uygun koşullar altında çözdürüldükten sonra serum endokan düzeyleri, enzim bağlı immünosorbent analiz (ELISA) yöntemi ile analiz edildi. Endokan düzeyleri ile Genişletilmiş Özürlülük Durum Ölçeği (EDSS), demografik özellikler ve kullanılan ilaçlar arasındaki ilişki değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Endokan düzeyleri MS hastalarında 371,044±67,396 ng/L, kontrol grubunda ise 1003,783±110,634 ng/L olarak ölçüldü. MS hastalarında endokan düzeyleri kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı derecede daha düşüktü (P=,003). Endokan için tanısal değer; eğri altındaki alan (AUC)=0,677 (%95 GA: 0,567–0,787), kesim değeri 229,500, duyarlılık %63,04 ve özgüllük %39,13 olarak saptandı. Çalışmada endokan ile diğer klinik parametreler arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı. Sonuç: Çalışmamızın sonuçlarına göre, MS hastalarında sağlıklı gruba kıyasla endokan düzeylerinde azalma olduğu gözlenmiştir. Endokan düzeyinin MS hastalarında bir biyobelirteç olarak kullanılabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tanısal biyobelirteç
• EDSS
• endokan
• inflamasyon
• multipl skleroz

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