title: The association of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and ferritin in diabetic microvascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular disease. Most diabetes patients have higher serum levels of ferritin that may participate in diabetic vascular complications through high oxidative stress induced by iron. However, the mechanistic link between ferritin and VEGF is obscure. The study investigated the association of VEGF and ferritin in patients with diabetic microvascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 26 healthy individuals were selected in this study. Serum ferritin, VEGF, hematological parameters, and clinical data were assessed in this cohort. The Spearman rank method was used to evaluate the associations among them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of VEGF and ferritin were significantly higher in diabetes patients compared with the controls; levels of both were elevated with development of the disease. There were positive correlations between VEGF and glucose levels and between VEGF and ferritin in diabetes groups, especially in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Positive correlations were also found between VEGF level and the parameters of age, hemoglobin, and albumin in patients with diabetes hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that high ferritin levels in T2DM are closely related to the development of diabetic vascular complications through interaction with VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College , Shantou, Guangdong, China .
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yue-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Meng-Ya
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Xiao-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Jiao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005293:Ferritins; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human