AIM: To investigate the clinical significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR1/Flt-1) (sVEGFR1) levels in biliary diseases. METHODS: We analyzed the serum levels of these proteins in patients with acute cholangitis (group 1), biliary malignancies (group 2), and primary biliary cirrhosis or primary sclerosing cholangitis (group 3), and in healthy donors (group 4). The influence of inflammation was also analyzed. Serum VEGF levels were expressed as VEGF per platelet (VEGF/PLT, pg/10(6)) in order to exclude the influence of platelet counts. RESULTS: sVEGFR1 levels were significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the control group, but did not correlate with inflammatory markers. VEGF/PLT levels were generally higher in patients with active inflammation than in those with carcinoma. C-reactive protein strongly correlated with the levels of serum VEGF independently of platelet and leukocyte counts, even in cancer patients. In cancer patients, VEGF/PLT and sVEGFR1 levels might be indicators for evaluating the effect of medical treatment or the disease progression. CONCLUSION: Serum VEGF and VEGFR1 might be useful markers for gauging the clinical effect of various treatments on patients.
AIM: To investigate the clinical significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR1/Flt-1) (sVEGFR1) levels in biliary diseases. METHODS: We analyzed the serum levels of these proteins in patients with acute cholangitis (group 1), biliary malignancies (group 2), and primary biliary cirrhosis or primary sclerosing cholangitis (group 3), and in healthy donors (group 4). The influence of inflammation was also analyzed. Serum VEGF levels were expressed as VEGF per platelet (VEGF/PLT, pg/10(6)) in order to exclude the influence of platelet counts. RESULTS: sVEGFR1 levels were significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the control group, but did not correlate with inflammatory markers. VEGF/PLT levels were generally higher in patients with active inflammation than in those with carcinoma. C-reactive protein strongly correlated with the levels of serum VEGF independently of platelet and leukocyte counts, even in cancerpatients. In cancerpatients, VEGF/PLT and sVEGFR1 levels might be indicators for evaluating the effect of medical treatment or the disease progression. CONCLUSION: Serum VEGF and VEGFR1 might be useful markers for gauging the clinical effect of various treatments on patients.
Authors: G R Pinheiro; C A Andrade; C R Gayer; M S Coelho; S M Freire; M A Scheinberg Journal: Clin Exp Rheumatol Date: 2001 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 4.473
Authors: Jill Koshiol; Felipe Castro; Troy J Kemp; Yu-Tang Gao; Juan Carlos Roa; Bingsheng Wang; Leticia Nogueira; Juan Carlos Araya; Ming-Chang Shen; Asif Rashid; Ann W Hsing; Allan Hildesheim; Catterina Ferreccio; Ruth M Pfeiffer; Ligia A Pinto Journal: Cytokine Date: 2016-05-09 Impact factor: 3.861
Authors: Alfonso Fiorelli; Floriana Morgillo; Morena Fasano; Giovanni Vicidomini; Vincenzo Giuseppe Di Crescenzo; Marina Di Domenico; Marina Accardo; Mario Santini Journal: Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg Date: 2012-11-28