title: Correlation between synovial blood flow signals and serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels in patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between synovial blood flow signals and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) involved in angiogenesis by Doppler ultrasound. Twenty-one patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) were enrolled in this study. Doppler ultrasound signals of blood flow in the wrist synovial membrane were measured and classified into three grades: grade 1 = no flow; grade 2 = mild flow; grade 3 = intense flow. A significant correlation was observed between blood flow signals in the wrist synovial membrane and serum VEGF levels (r = 0.5681, P = 0.0072). These results suggest that the measurement of Doppler ultrasound signals of blood flow in the wrist synovial membrane is useful in the evaluation of angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. d_kurosaka@jikei.ac.jp
authors.forename: Daitaro
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Eigo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ukichi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Maimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagimachi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A