Increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Levels Are Associated With a Higher Occurrence of Coronary...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has become a vital risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) participates in the mediation of atherosclerosis, the main underlying pathophysiological basis of CAD, by promoting angiogenesis and inflammation. Chronic intermittent hypoxia, a characteristic of OSA, can induce VEGFR2 expression. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between circulating VEGFR2 levels and CAD in OSA patients, an association that has not been well explored in previous research.

This cross-sectional study involved 453 Chinese adults: 345 with OSA and CAD and 108 with OSA alone. The Gensini and SYNTAX scores were used to evaluate the severity of CAD. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure circulating VEGFR2 levels. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between the circulating VEGFR2 levels and CAD and also to determine the independent associations. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between VEGFR2 levels and the severity of CAD.

Patients with OSA and CAD demonstrated remarkably higher circulating VEGFR2 levels compared with those patients with OSA alone (median interquartile range (IQR): CAD 10.9 (8.26-14.6) vs. non-CAD 8.25 (5.87-10.3) ng/mL; *p < 0.05). After confounding factors were adjusted, the circulating VEGFR2 level exhibited an independent association with CAD (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.27; p < 0.001). Furthermore, we confirmed a positive association between VEGFR2 levels and CAD severity in Chinese patients with OSA.

In Chinese patients with OSA, those with CAD exhibited higher circulating VEGFR2 levels than those without CAD. Increased VEGFR2 levels were independently associated with the presence and severity of CAD, suggesting a potential role of VEGFR2 as a biomarker for vascular endothelial dysfunction.