[Expressive level of vascular endothelial growth factor in peripheral blood in patients with pituitary adenomas].
OBJECTIVE
To discuss whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the peripheral blood can reflect the biological activities of pituitary adenomas.


METHODS
The concentrations of VEGF in peripheral blood were measured with ELISA in 203 patients with pituitary adenomas, 22 patients with pituitary hyperplasia, 7 patients with pituitary Rathke' pouch and 3 patients with pituitary abscess.


RESULTS
The serum VEGF levels were (366.8 +/- 211.1) pg/ml and (286.8 +/- 107.6) pg/ml in patients with pituitary adenomas and pituitary hyperhasia, respectively, which were higher than those in patients with pituitary Rathke' pouch [(180.5 +/- 61.7) pg/ml], patients with pituitary abscess [(147.5 +/- 46.3) pg/ml] and the health control [(180.8 +/- 56.2) pg/ml] (P < 0.05). In patients with pituitary adenomas, the VEGF levels were (380.0 +/- 234.5) pg/ml in macroadenomas and (380.1 +/- 2870.3) pg/ml in giant adenomas, higher than those in microadenomas [(294.6 +/- 111.6) pg/ml] and in pituitary hyperhasia respectively (P < 0.05). The serum VEGF levels were not significantly different in pituitary adenoma in terms of invasive growth, apoplexy, cyst and hormone secretory functions (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The upregulation of serum VEGF expression may reflect the biological activities of pituitary adenoma. However, it may not be associated with pituitary Rathke' pouch, pituitary abscess, adenoma with invasiveness, apoplexy, cyst and hormone secretory function. The serum VEGF levels could be helpful in differentiating pituitary adenoma from pituitary Rathke' pouch and pituitary abscess.
Kong
Yan-guo
YG
Laboratory of Neurosurgery, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. kongyg@pumch.ac.cn
Ren
Zu-yuan
ZY
Su
Chang-bao
CB
Wang
Ren-zhi
RZ
Xing
Bing
B
D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A