PTX3 and endothelial dysfunction: Besides, PTX3 was reported to be a long-term prognostic marker of mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (41) and of cardiovascular death in patients with renal disease (42), whereas some studies even place PTX3 superior to CRP as a predictor of mortality (39), endothelial dysfunction (43) or indicator of local inflammatory response following vascular injury (44).