Clinical significance of plasma and serum vascular endothelial growth factor in asthma

Ka Young Lee, Kyung Sun Lee, Seoung Ju Park, So Ri Kim, Kyung Hoon Min, Yeong Hun Choe, Yong Chul Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a mediator of airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. Purpose. We investigated whether VEGF levels are elevated in plasma and serum obtained from patients with asthma and evaluated whether levels of plasma VEGF correlated with those of serum VEGF. Methods. We measured levels of plasma and serum VEGF in patients with stable asthma or with acute asthma and examined the correlation between plasma and serum VEGF concentration with initial forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Results. We found that levels of VEGF in plasma or in serum were significantly increased in stable asthmatic patients and even higher in acute asthmatic patients compared with the levels in healthy control subjects. The levels of serum VEGF correlated significantly with those of plasma VEGF. Additionally, the circulating VEGF levels were significantly inversely correlated with the percent predicted FEV1. Conclusion. These results suggest that the overproduction of VEGF is implicated in asthma exacerbation and that measurement of either plasma or serum VEGF level can be a valid index in asthmatic patients. Therefore, the changes in the VEGF levels in peripheral blood of asthmatic patients can be used as a measure for progression of asthma during treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)735-739
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Asthma
Volume45
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008 Nov
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Asthma
  • Plasma
  • Remodeling
  • Serum
  • Vascular endothelial growth factor

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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