[Neoangiogenesis and coronary atherosclerosis: diagnostic value of a novel biochemical marker placenta growth factor...

Placenta growth factor (PlGF), a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor family, promotes neoarteriogenesis and triggers intraplaque inflammation thereby stimulating atherosclerotic plaque progression and plaque rupture.

To investigate prognostic significance of circulating placenta growth factor (PlGF) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

78 patients, aged 44-81 years (mean age 61.6+/-13.1 years) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n=19), unstable angina (UA) (n=23), stable effort angina (n=23), and with no evidence of CAD (n=13) were followed-up for at least 48 months. Death, AMI, any revascularization, and hospitalization for UA or progressive effort angina were considered as end points. Plasma levels of PlGF, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), neopterin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), haptoglobin and homocysteine were measured at primary admission.

During follow up (617+/-263 days) 3 deaths, 1 nonfatal AMI, 4 UA, and 7 angina progression related hospitalizations occurred. Mean event-free survival periods differed significantly between subgroups of patients with low (<7.5 pg/ml), medium (7.5-20.5 pg/ml), and high (>20.5 pg/ml) PlGF levels (1038+/-56, 729+/-55, and 578+/-63 days, respectively). Logrank survival in patients with low PlGF was significantly better than in high PlGF subgroup (p=0.038). PlGF levels did not correlate with age, lipid levels, blood pressure and smoking. A significant positive correlation was found between PlGF and haptoglobin (r=0.34, p=0.028), homocysteine (r=0.455, p=0.044), neopterin (r=0.31, p=0.048), and carotid intima-media thickness.

Elevated PlGF plasma levels predict worse prognosis in CAD patients; PlGF levels correlate with haptoglobin, neopterin, and homocysteine blood levels and with the carotid artery intima-media thickness.