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Volume 16, Issue 2 (3-2026)
Iran J Ped Hematol Oncol 2026, 16(2): 851-856 |
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Ethics code: E/C.S/N.R13/2023
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A.Helaly N A H, Hassan Ali Saad M, Afifi A M, Saleh S A M. Plasma Endocan as a Biomarker of Endothelial Dysfunction in Egyptian Children with Beta-Thalassemia Major: A Single-Center Analysis. Iran J Ped Hematol Oncol 2026; 16 (2) :851-856
URL: http://ijpho.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-953-en.html
URL: http://ijpho.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-953-en.html
Nesrine Ahmed Helaly A.Helaly 
, Mona Hassan Ali Saad * , Ahmed Mohammed Afifi , Sally Adel Mahmoud Saleh
, Mona Hassan Ali Saad * , Ahmed Mohammed Afifi , Sally Adel Mahmoud Saleh
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt & Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract: (181 Views)
Background: Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) is a transfusion-dependent disorder associated with iron overload and endothelial dysfunction. Endocan is a proteoglycan secreted by endothelial cells and has been proposed as an indicator of endothelial activation and inflammation. Children with β-TM face various problems, such as glomerular and tubular degeneration, cardiomyopathy, and endothelial damage, which require regular monitoring using a reliable and practical method. This study aimed to evaluate plasma endocan levels in Egyptian children with β-TM.
Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted at the Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University. The experimental group consisted of 40 children with transfusion-dependent β-TM who were aged between 12 and 16 years, and the control group involved 40 age- and gender-matched healthy children. Clinical assessments and laboratory tests, including hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and C-reactive protein, were performed. Plasma endocan levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests, based on data distribution, were applied, and a p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Children with β-TM had significantly higher plasma endocan levels than controls (median 332 vs. 44 ng/L, p < 0.001). Endocan levels did not significantly differ based on gender (p = 0.575) or splenectomy status (p = 0.986). A significant difference was observed between hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative and HCV-positive cases (p = 0.005), with higher endocan levels in HCV-positive patients. No significant correlation was found between endocan levels and age, ferritin, or transfusion frequency (p> 0.05).
Conclusion: Children with transfusion-dependent β-TM exhibited significantly higher plasma endocan levels, as compared to the healthy controls. Endocan can serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in pediatric thalassemia.
Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted at the Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University. The experimental group consisted of 40 children with transfusion-dependent β-TM who were aged between 12 and 16 years, and the control group involved 40 age- and gender-matched healthy children. Clinical assessments and laboratory tests, including hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and C-reactive protein, were performed. Plasma endocan levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests, based on data distribution, were applied, and a p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Children with β-TM had significantly higher plasma endocan levels than controls (median 332 vs. 44 ng/L, p < 0.001). Endocan levels did not significantly differ based on gender (p = 0.575) or splenectomy status (p = 0.986). A significant difference was observed between hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative and HCV-positive cases (p = 0.005), with higher endocan levels in HCV-positive patients. No significant correlation was found between endocan levels and age, ferritin, or transfusion frequency (p> 0.05).
Conclusion: Children with transfusion-dependent β-TM exhibited significantly higher plasma endocan levels, as compared to the healthy controls. Endocan can serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in pediatric thalassemia.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
pediatrics
Received: 2025/04/16 | Accepted: 2025/10/8 | Published: 2026/03/30
Received: 2025/04/16 | Accepted: 2025/10/8 | Published: 2026/03/30
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