Vascular endothelial growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, and the severity of coronary artery disease.
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.
Kim
Soo-Young
SY
Cardiology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Sang-Hak
SH
Park
Sungha
S
Kang
Seok-Min
SM
Chung
Namsik
N
Shim
Won-Heum
WH
Cho
Seung-Yun
SY
Sun Ha Jee
Manabe
Ichiro
I
Jang
Yangsoo
Y
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*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1