The relationship of serum endocan levels and anti-TNF-alpha therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

摘要

ObjectiveEndocan is a marker for vascular pathogenesis and important mediator of angiogenesis that strongly associates with inflammation and vascular diseases. Growing evidence suggest that inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) plays a role in its regulation and secretion, whereas TNF-alpha inhibitors may have the opposite influence. The aim of this research is to investigate the association between serum endocan and anti-TNF-alpha drug treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).