{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T16:31:03Z","timestamp":1789403463073,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,23]],"date-time":"2025-08-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755907200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Research, Development and Innovation Office\u2014NKFIH","award":["K142273"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K142273"]}]},{"name":"National Research, Development and Innovation Office\u2014NKFIH","award":["TKP2021-EGA-18"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TKP2021-EGA-18"]}]},{"name":"Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund","award":["K142273"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K142273"]}]},{"name":"Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund","award":["TKP2021-EGA-18"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TKP2021-EGA-18"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder associated with premature atherosclerosis and vascular impairment. However, the role of endocan, a biomarker of glycocalyx injury, is not completely clarified in the detection of vascular damage. Therefore, our aim was to investigate serum endocan in comparison with conventional inflammatory markers, arterial stiffness parameters, and carotid ultrasound findings in a cohort of young patients with SLE. Methods: We enrolled 47 clinically active young SLE patients (40 females and 7 males) in the study. Arterial stiffness indicated by augmentation index and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured by arteriography. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation and common carotid intima-media thickness were detected by ultrasonography. The serum concentrations of endocan, IL-6, MPO, MCP-1, MMP-3, -7, and -9, as well as TNF\u03b1, were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: We found significant negative correlations between serum endocan and both CH50 and C3. Serum endocan was higher in active SLE patients compared to inactive patients, however, the difference was not statistically significant (241.4 (183\u2013295) vs. 200.3 (167\u2013278) pg\/mL; p = 0.313). Serum TNF\u03b1 and hsCRP significantly correlated with PWV. However, we did not detect significant correlations between vascular diagnostic tests and serum endocan levels. Conclusions: Based on our results, serum endocan is associated with disease activity; however, further studies are needed to clarify the value of serum endocan in the cardiovascular risk estimation of SLE patients. Measurement of serum endocan, as well as the routine assessment of arterial stiffness parameters, should be integrated into the comprehensive management plans of young patients with SLE.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14175955","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]],"date-time":"2025-08-25T00:09:53Z","timestamp":1756080593000},"page":"5955","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Assessment of Serum Endocan Levels and Their Associations with Arterial Stiffness Parameters in Young Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"\u00c1gnes","family":"Di\u00f3szegi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5303-3082","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hajnalka","family":"L\u0151rincz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eszter","family":"Ka\u00e1li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, V\u00e4sterviks Sjukhus Hospital, 593 33 V\u00e4sterviks, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S\u00e1ra","family":"Csiha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Judit","family":"Kaluha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u00c9va","family":"Varga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1007-6549","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"D\u00e9nes","family":"P\u00e1ll","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Clinical Pharmacology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"T\u00fcnde","family":"Tarr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9761-9595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariann","family":"Harangi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"},{"name":"ELKH-UD Vascular Pathophysiology Research Group 11003, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"},{"name":"Institute of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"515","DOI":"10.1038\/s41584-021-00668-1","article-title":"Global epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus","volume":"17","author":"Barber","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat. 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