Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A increase during alcohol withdrawal.
Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is a key regulator of angiogenesis. This study investigated VEGF-A serum levels during alcohol withdrawal (days 1, 7 and 14, 76 male patients, 38 healthy controls). Patients showed significantly higher VEGF-A serum levels (t = 2.620, P = 0.010), which increased significantly during withdrawal (F = 4.484, P = 0.014, mean difference = -36.835, P = 0.037). The increase of VEGF-A serum levels was significantly associated with initial breath alcohol concentration and the sumscore of the severity scale of alcohol dependence (SESA questionnaire, F = 5.252, P = 0.008). Increase of VEGF-A serum levels is closely associated to alcohol intoxication and severity of alcohol dependence.
Heberlein
Annemarie
A
Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Addiction Research, Hannover Medical School, D-30625 Hanover, Germany. heberlein.annemarie@mh-hannover.de
Muschler
Marc
M
Lenz
Bernd
B
Frieling
Helge
H
Büchl
Christa
C
Gröschl
Michael
M
Riera
Rafael
R
Kornhuber
Johannes
J
Bleich
Stefan
S
Hillemacher
Thomas
T
D000328:Adult; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000097:blood*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000431:Ethanol