Premium
Elevated VEGF‐plasma levels in young patients with mild essential hypertension
Author(s) -
Stumpf C.,
Jukic J.,
Yilmaz A.,
Raaz D.,
Schmieder R. E.,
Daniel W. G.,
Garlichs C. D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2008.02056.x
Subject(s) - vegf receptors , medicine , essential hypertension , cardiology , endocrinology , blood pressure
Background Growing evidence shows that inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension (EH). Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is currently discussed as a possible mediator of inflammation. To investigate the hypothesis that VEGF plays a role as an inflammatory mediator in EH we performed the present pilot study of young patients in a very early stage of EH. Materials and methods 15 young patients with mild EH [33·8 ± 7·3 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP): 143·8 ± 10·5 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP): 88·2 ± 11·1 mmHg, mean arterial pressure (MAP) 106·6 ± 10·4 mmHg] and 15 healthy controls (31·7 ± 10·6 years) were examined. Blood was drawn from a peripheral vein and serum levels of VEGF, monocyte‐chemoattractant‐protein (MCP)‐1, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)‐6, and tumour‐necrosis‐factor (TNF)‐α were measured via commercially available enzyme‐linked immunoassays. Results Hypertensives showed increased plasma levels of VEGF ( P < 0·05) and MCP‐1 ( P < 0·05). VEGF positively correlated with MAP ( r = 0·46, P < 0·05) and MCP‐1 ( r = 0·63, P < 0·01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated VEGF to be an independent predictor of MCP‐1 levels. Furthermore, hypertensives had higher levels of hsCRP ( P < 0·01), IL‐6 ( P < 0·001) and TNF‐α ( P < 0·05). IL‐6 levels correlated with SBP ( r = 0·59, P < 0·001), DBP ( r = 0·67, P < 0·001) and MAP ( r = 0·46, P < 0·001). A significant positive correlation was also found between hsCRP levels and SBP ( r = 0·39, P < 0·05). Conclusions This pilot study demonstrates that in an early state of EH, inflammatory pathways have already been activated. Besides classical pro‐inflammatory cytokines, VEGF serum levels are significantly elevated. The positive correlation of VEGF with MCP‐1 is suggestive for the already described induction of MCP‐1 via VEGF.