[Correlation of VEGF Expression with Serous Effusion in Multiple Myeloma Patients]

To investigate the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in serum of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and its possible clinical significance.

68 patients with MM who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from July 2019 to June 2020 were collected. The expression level of VEGF was detected by VEGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the correlation of VEGF expression with serous effusion in MM was explored, and the relationship between VEGF expression level and clinical features and prognosis of patients with MM was analyzed.

The positive rate of VEGF was 36.76% (25/68) in 68 patients with MM, 10 cases (58.82%, 10/17) were VEGF positive in 17 MM patients with serous effusion. The expression level of VEGF in patients with positive serous effusion was significantly higher than that in patients with negative serous effusion (P<0.05); the expression level of VEGF in MM patients of the newly diagnosed and untreated group was significantly higher than that in the remission group after treatment (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the expression level of VEGF between the newly diagnosed group and the refractory/relapsed (R/R) group (P>0.05). Among 68 patients with MM, 48 patients underwent FISH examination, 28 cases had normal karyotype (58.33%), and 20 cases had abnormal karyotype (41.67%). The abnormal karyotype was mainly IgH rearrangement, with a total of 10 cases (20.83%); other cases: 1q21+, del (13q14), del (17p13) were 3 cases (6.25%), 2 cases (4.17%), 7 cases (14.58%), respectively. Compared with VEGF^- group, the incidence of IgH rearrangement and del (17p13) in VEGF⁺ group was higher [IgH rearrangement: 35% vs 10.71%, P=0.043; del(17p13): 30% vs 3.57%, P=0.011]. Compared with negative serous effusion group, the incidence of del (17p13) in positive serous effusion group was higher (31.25% vs 6.25%, P=0.021). The proportion of patients with positive VEGF and serous effusion was 14.71% (10/68), and the proportion of patients with negative VEGF and negative serous effusion was 52.94% (36/68). There was a correlation between serous effusion and VEGF expression (r=0.264, P=0.029).

The prognosis of MM patients with serous effusion is poor, and the expression of VEGF in serum of these patients is significantly high. The increased VEGF may be involved in the occurrence and development of serous effusion.