title: Vascular endothelial growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, and the severity of coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), and coronary artery disease (CAD) was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 112 hypertensive patients with proven CAD and 112 hypertensive controls matched for age and gender. The severity of CAD was assessed by the most severe clinical presentation of CAD in patients' history and by the number of diseased vessels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular endothelial growth factor level was lower, whereas sFlt-1 level was higher in the CAD group compared to the controls. Diabetes mellitus (P = .001), smoking (P = .004), and higher sFlt-1 level (P = .01) were independently associated with CAD. Younger age (P = .02), smoking (P = .049), and higher VEGF levels (P = .02) were independently associated with a history of myocardial infarction (MI), whereas higher sFlt-1 level (P = .01) was independently associated with multivessel disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma sFlt-1 levels are positively associated with the presence of CAD and are associated with angiographical severity of CAD.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sungha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seok-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Namsik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Won-Heum
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Seung-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.lastname: Sun Ha Jee
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.forename: Yangsoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1