In a previous cross-sectional study enrolling 90 patients with HTN and 44 normotensive subjects, it was shown that circulating endocan levels were significantly higher among hypertensive subjects, compared to normotensive controls, while an increase in endocan levels by 1 pg/mL was associated with an increase in the odds of the presence of HTN by 32.2% [11]. This evidence concerns the gene ESM1 and hypertensive disorder.