Serum VEGF--as a prognostic factor of atherosclerosis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been noted in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. To examine the usefulness of the serum concentration of VEGF as an index of atherosclerosis, we analyzed the serum VEGF concentrations in 443 adults who underwent a medical checkup. The mean serum VEGF concentration of men (229+/-147 pg/ml) was significantly higher than that of women (182+/-112 pg/ml). The platelet count showed a slight correlation with the serum VEGF concentration in both genders (men R=0.287, women R=0.296), corresponding with the results of experiments that platelets are the major source of VEGF in circulating peripheral blood. In men, the serum VEGF concentrations correlated with platelet counts, body fat percentages, leukocyte counts, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations (negative correlation). In the multiple regression analysis performed for men's serum VEGF concentrations, the decision coefficient (R2) was maximized (R2=0.173) when the leukocyte count, the body fat percentage, and the HDL-cholesterol concentration were taken into account besides the platelet count. Male smokers' serum VEGF concentrations were higher than non-smokers'. Smoking in men significantly affected the sex difference in the serum VEGF concentration, leukocyte count, and HDL-cholesterol concentration. We concluded that the serum VEGF concentration might be closely related to atherosclerosis accelerating factor, especially in men.