Background Endothelial-specific molecule 1 (endocan) has emerged as an inflammatory biomarker in recent years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of serum endocan levels in the prediction of COVID-19 disease among patients with a false-negative reverse transcription polymerase change reaction (RT-PCR) test, and also to determine its correlation with the clinical severity of the disease. Methods Thirty patients with positive RT-PCR results and 30 with false-negative RT-PCR results, both with suspected COVID-19 in terms of clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings, were included in the study. Thirty healthy controls were also enrolled. Results Serum endocan levels were estimated to be 821.8 ± 99.3 pg/mL in COVID-19 RT-PCR (+) patients, 803.9 ± 97.0 pg/mL in RT-PCR false (–) patients with suspected COVID-19, and 382.9 ± 37.5 pg/mL in the control group. No significant difference was observed between RT-PCR (+) and RT-PCR false (–) patients ( P = 0.68). However, serum endocan levels differed significantly between patient groups and control group ( P < 0.05). With a cut-off value of 444.2 pg/mL serum endocan levels differentiated COVID-19 cases from healthy individuals with 92% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between serum endocan levels and clinical severity ( P < 0.01, r = 0.94). Conclusions There is a need for different laboratory markers capable of assisting diagnosis and showing COVID-19 infection in suspected COVID-19 RT-PCR false-negative patients. Endocan levels can be used as an assistant blood test for identifying COVID-19 patients with false-negative RT-PCR tests and in determining the clinical severity of the disease.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Biomarker, endocan, reverse transcription polymerase change reaction, 【초록키워드】 Diagnosis, RT-PCR, Laboratory, laboratory findings, COVID-19 disease, serum, sensitivity, specificity, COVID-19 infection, Patient, endocan, reverse transcription, correlation, false-negative, patients, COVID-19 patients, Blood, blood test, marker, Clinical severity, positive RT-PCR, Inflammatory biomarker, RT-PCR test, COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 patient, PCR tests, significant difference, control group, no significant difference, healthy control, healthy individuals, COVID-19 case, positive correlation, patient groups, diagnostic value, false, cut-off value, assistant, polymerase, radiological, Result, enrolled, significantly, the disease, patient group, can be used, determine, healthy individual, 【제목키워드】 disease severity, Diagnosis, Patient, false-negative, marker,