Clinical Significance of Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Angiopoietin-1, and Angiopoietin-2 in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Published in: Journal of rheumatology Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 1121 - 1128
• Main Authors: KUROSAKA, Daitaro, HIRAI, Kenichiro, KINGETSU, Isamu, FUKUDA, Kunihiko, YAMADA, Akio, NISHIOKA, Makiko, MIYAMOTO, Yukio, YOSHIDA, Ken, NODA, Kentaro, UKICHI, Taro, YANAGIMACHI, Maimi, FURUYA, Kazuhiro, TAKAHASHI, Eigo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Toronto, ON Journal of Rheumatology Publishing 01-06-2010
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiopoietin-1 - blood; Angiopoietin-2 - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Flow Velocity; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Joints - diagnostic imaging; Joints - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; Synovial Membrane - blood supply; Ultrasonography, Doppler - methods; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Young Adult; Human; Immunopathology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; CLINICAL PRACTICE; Autoimmune disease; VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR; Inflammatory joint disease; ANGIOPOIETIN; Chronic; Vascular endothelium growth factor; Rheumatoid arthritis; Serum
• ISSN: 0315-162X; 1499-2752
• DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.090941

To evaluate the clinical significance of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The subjects were 70 patients with RA. Serum VEGF, Ang-1, and Ang-2 levels were determined by ELISA. As indices of disease activity, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-3 were examined, and the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28)-CRP was calculated. Power Doppler ultrasonography was performed in the bilateral wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles. The synovial blood flow signals were scored using a 3-grade scale (0-2), and the total of the scores in the 10 joints was regarded as the total signal score (TSS).
Serum VEGF level showed significant correlations with serum CRP and MMP-3 levels, DAS28-CRP, and TSS. Serum Ang-1 level showed significant correlations with serum MMP-3 level and DAS28-CRP. Serum Ang-2 level showed significant correlations with serum CRP level and TSS.
The serum VEGF level is important as an index of the activity of RA based on angiogenesis and a prognostic factor regarding joint destruction. Serum Ang-1 level may be useful as an index of sustained arthritis based on the maintenance of newly formed vessels. Serum Ang-2 level may reflect a state of marked angiogenesis.