title: Serum angiopoietin is associated with lung function in patients with asthma: a retrospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) is an essential mediator of angiogenesis that establishes vascular integrity, and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) acts as its natural inhibitor. We considered that angiopoietin might be important in bronchial asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 35 patients with asthma and 20 healthy subjects were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum Ang-1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with asthma compared to control subjects (293.9 ± 13.8 pg/mL vs. 248.3 ± 16.2 pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.04). The serum Ang-2 levels were not different between the two groups. The areas under the curve (AUC) for serum angiopoietins revealed that the serum level of Ang-1 (0.68) was more sensitive and specific than the serum Ang-2 level (0.55) for differentiating between patients with asthma and control subjects. The serum Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio was correlated with the FEV1/FVC ratio (r = -0.312, p = 0.02), while serum Ang-2 was correlated with body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the serum Ang-1 levels were higher in asthma patients compared with healthy subjects. As the Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio was related to lung function, the data suggest that serum angiopoietin is associated with lung function in patients with asthma.
authors.forename: Kuk-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: PuReun-HaNeul
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Choon-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Genome Research Center for Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-767, Republic of Korea. jas877@schmc.ac.kr.
authors.forename: An-Soo
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D015415:Biomarkers