Clinical implication of VEGF serum levels in cirrhotic patients with or without portal hypertension

作     者：Nimer Assy 1,4 , M Paizi 3,4 , D Gaitini 2, Y Baruch 1,4 and G Spira 3,4,5 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Gastroenterology》 (世界胃肠病学杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：1999年第5卷第4期

页      面：24-28页

核心收录：

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 10[医学] 

主　　题：VEGF growth factors liver cirrhosis liver regeneration hypertension portal duplex sonography angiogenesis 

摘      要：AIM To determine whether serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels correlates with the severity of liver cirrhosis and whether portal hypertension impacts on the expression of serum VEGF protein. METHODS Fifty three patients (mean age 56±2 years) with HCV ( n =26), HBV ( n =13), and cryptogenic liver cirrhosis ( n =14) (Child Pughs class A: 24, B: 19 and C: 12) and normal renal function constitute the patient population, who were all diagnosed by clinical, histological and radiological findings. Six healthy people and six patients with acute hepatitis served as controls. Severity of liver disease was evaluated by the CP score. Serum levels of IGF 1 and VEGF were measured by radioimmunoassay and ELISA, respectively. Portal hypertension was assessed using pulsed Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS The mean serum VEGF levels in all cirrhotic patients (73±58) were significantly lower than those of healthy controls (360±217, P 0 01) and acute hepatitis (1123±1261, P 0 01) respectively. No significant difference in median serum VEGF levels were noted among the different Child Pughs classes (class A: median, 49 4ng/L , range, 21ng/L - 260ng/L , Class B: median 59 9ng/L ; range 21-92, and Class C: median 69; range 20ng/L - 247ng/L ). A significant correlation was noted between serum VEGF and two accurate parameters of portal hypertension: portal blood flow velocity ( r =0 6) and spleen size ( r =0 55). No correlation was found between VEGF serum levels and serum albumin, IGF 1, platelets count and aminotrasnferases ( r =0 2, r =0 1, r =0 2 and r =0 2, respectively). CONCLUSION Circulating VEGF level in patients with liver cirrhosis could not serve as an indicator of the progression of chronic liver disease but rather, they may reflect increased portal hypertension or decreased hepatic regenerative activity or the combination of both.