title: [Changes of VEGF, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO in serum of patients with HAPE].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the possible pathophysiological process and mechanisms underlying the development and formation of high altitude pulmonary edema(HAPE) by observing the changes in contents of VEGF, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO in serum from the initiated and recovery of HAPE patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 10 HAPE patients in a Chinese population. The patients were divided into two groups including HAPE initiate group and the recovery group. Contents of VEGF, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO in serum of the two groups were determined to study the process of HAPE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VEGF levels in the HAPE initiate one and the recovery groups were (167.9 +/- 26.5 and 53.1 +/- 17.0 pg/ ml), respectively. There was a significant decrease of VEGF content in recovery one compared to the HAPE group. The same results for TNF-alpha were gained. The levels of TNF-alpha in recovery group was much lower than that in the HAPE initiate one. They were (29.2 +/- 6.8) pg/ml and (86.2 +/- 24.1) pg/ml, respectively. The contents of IL-6 in HAPE initiate group and the recovery group were (32.3 +/- 16.5) pg/ml and (12. 5 +/- 8.0) pg/ml, respectively. But no significance existed. The level of NO in HAPE initiate group was (33.8 +/- 3.3) micromol/L, and it remarkably increased to (74.1 +/- 6.2) micromol/L in recovery one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO participated in the different aspects of the pathophysiological process and might have influence on HAPE.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Military Environmental Medicine, Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Dong-Xiang
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhong-Hai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yin-Hu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; C439524:TNF protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide