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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor level is elevated in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease
Kei Nakajima1, Shinji Tabata, Takeshi Yamashita
1First Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan. nakake20@aol.com
Insights
Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels are higher in severe coronary artery disease. This finding suggests VEGF may indicate significant coronary ischemia, unlike other risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a role in angiogenesis and ischemia.
- The association between plasma VEGF levels and coronary artery disease (CAD) was previously unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between plasma VEGF levels and the severity of coronary artery disease.
- To determine if plasma VEGF is associated with cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Plasma VEGF concentration and coronary risk factors were measured in 73 CAD patients and 70 controls.
- Patients were categorized into mild (0-1 vessel disease) and severe (2-3 vessel disease) stenosis groups based on coronary angiography.
Main Results:
- The severe stenosis group exhibited significantly higher plasma VEGF levels compared to mild stenosis and control groups.
- A significant positive trend was observed between plasma VEGF levels and the number of stenosed coronary vessels.
- Established risk factors like soluble adhesion molecules were associated with vessel stenosis, but not specifically with severe disease severity.
Conclusions:
- Plasma VEGF levels may serve as a biomarker for severe coronary ischemia, particularly multiple-vessel coronary disease.
- VEGF's association appears specific to severe ischemia, differentiating it from established coronary risk factors.
Background:
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in both angiogenesis and ischemia. However, the relationship between plasma VEGF level and coronary artery disease remains unknown.
Hypothesis:
Plasma VEGF level may be associated with severe coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods:
We examined plasma VEGF concentration and coronary risk factors in 73 patients who underwent coronary angiography and 70 apparently healthy control subjects. According to the number of the three major coronary vessels with significant (> or = 75%) stenosis, we divided the patients into two groups: the mild stenosis group (0- and single-vessel disease, n = 36) and the severe stenosis group (double- and triple-vessel disease, n = 37).
Results:
The log VEGF value of the severe stenosis group was significantly higher than that of the mild stenosis (p < 0.05) and control groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant positive trend in the log VEGF value according to the number of vessels with significant stenosis (p = 0.016). However, there was no significant difference in log VEGF value between the mild stenosis and control groups. Soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule, and other coronary risk factors were found to be associated with the presence of vessel stenosis.
Conclusion:
Unlike established coronary risk factors, the plasma VEGF level may be associated with only severe coronary ischemia such as multiple coronary vessel disease.
