title: Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a third leading cause of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case control study, we prepared 5 cc bloods from the antecubital vein of 100 COPD patients and 40 healthy individuals as control group. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression protein level was measured by ELISA in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that concentration of VEGF in blood serum of patients with COPD (189.9±16pg/ml) was significantly higher than the control group (16.4±3.48pg/ml) (p<0.001). While VEGF serum level in emphysematous patients wasn't significantly different with control group (p=0.07). Furthermore VEGF serum level in COPD patients was proportionally increased with severity of disease (p<0.001). Besides all COPD patients, regardless of their smoking status, were experienced significantly higher levels of VEGF than healthy ones (p=0.001; z=4.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest VEGF serum concentration as the sensitive index for severity and activity of COPD and its prognosis.
authors: 1. MD, Professor of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Allergy Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Rfarid@gmail.com.
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Farid Hosseini
authors: 2. MD, Associate Professor of Allergy and clinical immunology, Allergy Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Jabbarif@mums.ac.ir.
authors: Farahzad
authors: F
authors: Jabbari Azad
authors: 3. PhD student of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. yousefzadehh901@mums.ac.ir.
authors: Hadis
authors: H
authors: Yousefzadeh
authors: 4. PhD, Associate Professor of Immunology, Inflammation and Inflammatory Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. rafatpanahh@mums.ac.ir.
authors: Houshang
authors: H
authors: Rafatpanah
authors: 5. MD, Internal Medicine Department, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Saeed.hafizi@yahoo.com.
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Hafizi
authors: 6. MD, Fellowship student of Allergy and clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. hmnthp@gmail.com.
authors: Homan
authors: H
authors: Tehrani
authors: 7. MD, Medical Doctor, Executive Manager of Taleghani Medical Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. arc@mums.ac.ir.
authors: Masoud
authors: M
authors: Khani
keywords: Chronic bronchitis; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Emphysema; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor