Serum endocan as a predictive biomarker of cardiovascular risk in erectile dysfunction patients

Endothelial dysfunction is reported in erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Endocan is a serum marker in some endothelial-related disorders. Thirty patients with erectile dysfunction (Group A) and 15 controls (Group B) were enrolled in the study. Group A is subdivided into Group AI including 15 diabetic patients with ED and group AII including 15 nondiabetic patients with ED. The erectile function was assessed in all subjects using International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), cholesterol and triglycerides (TG), serum endocan and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) were assessed in all subjects. Penile Doppler ultrasound was carried out for Group A. IIEF-5 score, serum endocan level and cIMT were significantly different between the groups. Serum endocan was positively correlated with cIMT (r = 0.342, p = 0.22) and negatively correlated with peak systolic velocity (r = -0.588, p = 0.001) and IIEF (r = -0.532, p < 0.001) although lack of correlation was detected with end-diastolic velocity, TG and cholesterol. ROC curve assessment yielded a serum endocan cut-off point of >2,392.7 ng/ml to predict the cIMT in ED patients with 83.33% sensitivity and 66.67% specificity (AUC 0.741, 95% CI 0.558-0.867). Serum endocan can correlate with ED severity and cIMT. In addition, it has a predictive value for cardiovascular risk in ED patients.