Is Endocan a Diagnostic Marker for Pneumonia After Cardiac Surgery? The ENDOLUNG Study

Background Postoperative pneumonia is frequent after cardiac surgery and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We tested the hypothesis that endocan is an early biomarker for the detection of pneumonia after cardiac surgery. Methods Between January and May 2016, 155 patients scheduled to undergo elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were prospectively included in the study. Serum level of endocan was measured at five timepoints (preoperative, and at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after the end of surgery). Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were measured at 24 and 72 hours. The preoperative and postoperative characteristics of the patients were recorded. Independen…