Relation between transcardiac gradient of VEGF and coronary flow response in humans.
BACKGROUND
Angiogenic growth factors, produced in the myocardium and coronary vascular bed, increase myocardial blood flow. This study examined whether plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in coronary circulation may be related to coronary blood flow responses.


METHODS
Blood flow responses in the left anterior descending coronary artery to an intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine (ACh) were measured by an intracoronary flow wire technique in 46 consecutive control subjects with normal coronary angiograms and left ventriculograms. Circulating VEGF levels were measured by ELISA in plasma obtained from the aortic root (AO) and anterior interventricular vein (AIV).


RESULTS
The transcardiac gradient of VEGF, calculated by the difference in VEGF concentrations between the AIV and AO, showed a positive correlation with the coronary blood flow increase in response to ACh independently of traditional coronary risk factors. In patients with cardiac syndrome X (n=17), defined as a positive exercise stress test with a normal coronary angiograms and left ventriculogram, the transcardiac VEGF gradient was significantly lower than in the risk factors-matched control subjects (n=21).


CONCLUSIONS
The transcardiac gradient of plasma VEGF was independently and positively correlated with the coronary blood flow increase in response to ACh. A reduced transcardiac VEGF gradient was present in cardiac syndrome X, a condition with a blunted coronary blood flow response.
Mende
Akira
A
Department of Internal Medicine II, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Nakakoma-gun, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan.
Takano
Hajime
H
Kodama
Yasushi
Y
Nakamura
Takamitsu
T
Umetani
Ken
K
Fujioka
Daisuke
D
Saito
Yukio
Y
Kobayashi
Tsuyoshi
T
Kawabata
Ken-ichi
K
Obata
Jyun-ei
JE
Kitta
Yoshinobu
Y
Kugiyama
Kiyotaka
K
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A