Clinical Significance of Endocan and Galectin-3 Levels in Massive Pulmonary Thromboembolism

Aim: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is one of the most common cardiovascular emergencies in emergency departments. Identifying high-risk PTE and early treatment is crucial. We aim to investigate the effectiveness of Endothelial Cell-specific Molecule-1 (Endocan) and galectin-3 levels in the early diagnosis of PTE and in evaluating PTE severity.Material and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted between February 2020 and February 2021, including 52 patients diagnosed with PTE and 26 healthy volunteers. Serum endocan and galectin-3 levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA). The severity levels of the PTE were determined according to the American Heart Association 2011 guidelines.Results: The median serum endocan level was 175 (96-600) ng/L in the patient group and 168 (120-256) ng/L in the control group (U=506,000, p>0.05). The median serum galectin-3 level was 177 (100-768) pg/mL in the patient group and 164 (131-252) pg/mL in the control group (U=512.500, p>0.05). A statistically significant difference in endocan levels (H=71, p=0.003) and galectin-3 levels (H=92, p=0.014) was found among PTE severity groups according to the Kruskal-Wallis test. In massive PTE patients, its sensitivity was 77%, specificity was 89% for serum Endocan levels ≥185.45 ng/mL, its sensitivity was 65%, and specificity 89% for galectin-3 levels ≥179.16 pg/mL.Conclusion: Endocan and galectin-3 biomarkers are not sufficient for the diagnosis of PTE. However, these biomarkers can guide clinicians in distinguishing massive PTE from submassive and low-risk PTE.