title: Longitudinal Measurement of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impaired vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling causes emphysema in animal models. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, alterations in VEGF tissue expression have been observed. We hypothesize that circulating VEGF may be a biomarker to phenotype COPD patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate VEGF serum levels in stable and exacerbated COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  VEGF serum levels as well as parameters of short- and long-term outcome were assessed and analyzed in two COPD cohorts [PROMISE, n = 117; ProCOLD (PC), n = 191].
  
  
  RESULTS
  VEGF serum levels at stable COPD were neither related to forced expiratory volume in 1 s nor to the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, 6-min walking distance or BODE index. There was no association between single VEGF levels and COPD exacerbation frequency or mortality at 1 and 2 years of follow-up. In PC an increase in VEGF over time (ΔVEGF) was associated with the exacerbation frequency as well as the 1- and 2-year hospitalization rate (p = 0.046, 0.009 and 0.006, respectively). Furthermore, in PC ΔVEGF was associated with 1- and 2-year survival (p = 0.009 and 0.041, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single serum VEGF levels, at stable and exacerbated COPD, were not associated with clinically significant outcomes in COPD. Conversely, the VEGF course seems related to COPD prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boeck
authors.forename: Jyotshna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.forename: Daiana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stolz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A