title: Serum endocan levels are correlated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelial dysfunction is one of the most important early indicators of atherosclerosis in hypertension (HT) patients. Endocan has been reported to play a role in the pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess whether serum endocan levels are correlated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with HT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured endocan levels in 164 patients with HT and in 55 controls. The severity of CAD was assessed by the coronary atherosclerosis index scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum endocan levels were independently correlated with the presence and severity of CAD in HT patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endocan might function as a useful biomarker for monitoring the development and progression of CAD in HT patients.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Chinese Medicine Hospital of Jining , Jining, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Xiang-sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan-yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C101134:ESM1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans