Soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and its Soluble Receptor 1 in Patients with PostHepatitis C Virus Liver Cirrhosis
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- Category: Vol. 81, December 2013
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Soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and its Soluble Receptor 1 in Patients with PostHepatitis C Virus Liver Cirrhosis, NAGLAA A. TAWFEEK, NAGLAA A. EL-GENDY, MONA Y. IBRAHIM and HANAA A. ABOUEL-HASSN
Abstract
Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known mediator of physiological and pathological angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Vascular endothelial growth factor might be involved in cirrhosis-associated an-giogenesis as well as fibrogenesis. There are confilicting results concerning plasma VEGF level in cirrhosis.
Aim: Evaluate the plasma concentration of VEGF and its soluble receptor1 and their possible association with liver function impairment in post-hepatitis C virus liver cirrhosis patients in attempting to select patients with refractory ascites and who responding to diuretics.
Patients and Methods: A case- control study was conducted on eighty subjects, forty of them were patients with post-hepatitis C virus liver cirrhosis (cases) and another forty were free from hepatitis C virus (controls). Patients were divided into two equal groups according to modified Child Pugh scoring system for cirrhosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor and its soluble receptor 1 were measured in plasma by ELISA.
Results: The mean levels of serum VEGF and s VEGF receptor 1 were 145.85±23.78 (pg/ml) and 1.36±0.61 (pg/ml) in Child B, 118.55±39.72 (pg/ml) and 1.84±0.87 (pg/ml) in Child C, 234.98±60.80 (pg/ml) and 0.62±0.26 (pg/ml) in control group. There were statistically significant increase of VEGF level in control group in comparison to patients (p-value <0.05). Moreover, there were statistically significant decrease of s VEGF receptor 1 in control group in comparison to patients (p-value <0.05). PlasmaVEGF and its soluble receptor 1 showed significant correlation with liver function test and portal hypertension manifestation.
Conclusion: Our result suggest down-regulation of VEGF in chronic hepatitis C patient with manifestation of portal hypertension.