title: Serum basic fibroblast growth factor levels in patients with ischemic heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Being a potent promoter of endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is presumed to play a key role in coronary collateral development and atherogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize serum bFGF levels in patients with ischemic heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of patients with angina (n=33) and after uncomplicated myocardial infarction (n=12). The number of significantly stenosed (> or = 50%) vessels and angiographic coronary collateral score were noted. Blood was drawn immediately prior to elective coronary angiography in study patients for bFGF levels. Twenty healthy, age-matched subjects served as control for serum bFGF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum bFGF levels were undetectable in all 20 control subjects, but were detectable in 15/33 (45%) patients with angina and 3/12 (25%) post-infarction patients, respectively (P=0.002). Serum bFGF levels were detectable in 13/23 (57%) patients with 0- or 1-vessel disease, as compared with 5/22 (23%) patients with 2- or 3-vessel disease (P<0.05). Detectable serum bFGF levels were not in correlation with coronary collateral score (P=1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of bFGF are elevated in patients with ischemic heart disease, particularly in those with minimal coronary artery disease. We postulate that detectable serum bFGF levels reflect active atherogenesis rather than myocardial collateral development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Beilinson Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasdai
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leibovitz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Herz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sclarovsky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eldar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheinowitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002455:Cell Division; D003097:Collateral Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2