Evaluation of the relationship between serum levels of VEGF and sVEGFR1 with mortality and prognosis in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

The most accepted view to explaining the pathogenesis of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endothelial damage. This study was conducted in a University hospital to investigate the serum levels and prognostic significance of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 receptor (sVEGFR-1) in CCHF. Forty-eight consecutive hospitalized CCHF patients (grouped into severe illness and non-severe illness) and 40 healthy adults, as controls were enrolled. There was statistically significant difference for each of VEGF (P = 0.003), and sVEGFR1 (P = 0.0001) between the patients and controls. VEGF and sVEGFR1 levels in patients with severe CCHF were found to be higher than in the control group (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0001, respectively). A significant difference was found in VEGF (P = 0.003) and sVEGFR1 (P = 0.0001) levels when compared to patients with CCHF who died and who recovered. In patients in the group with severe illness, the sensitivity, specificity, and the area underneath the ROC curve (AUROC) belonging to those cut-off points of VEGF and sVEGFR1 were 66.7%, 76.2%, 0.747, and 77.8%, 81%, 0.849, respectively. In non-survivors, the sensitivity, specificity, and the AUROC belonging to those cut-off points of VEGF and sVEGFR1 defined as 77.8%, 76.9%, 0.813, and 88.9%, 97.4%, 0.912, respectively. In conclusion, high sensitivity, specificity, and the AUROC values were found in sVEGFR1 levels especially in the severely ill and non-survivors. Therefore, sVEGFR1 may be an important biomarker for determining the risk of severity and death as result of infection with CCHF virus.

Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 Levels in Patients With Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) levels between patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 40 female patients (mean age 39.9±10.2 years; range, 22 to 52 years) diagnosed with primary FMS according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (1990) and 40 healthy female volunteers (mean age 40.9±8.3 years; range, 25 to 53 years). The sociodemographic data of both groups were recorded. The disease duration and the number of tender points were recorded for patients with FMS, and venous blood samples were collected from the two groups for the measurement of serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels. RESULTS: The FMS and control groups were comparable in terms of age and body mass index (p>0.05). A comparison of the serum VEGF levels of the FMS and control groups revealed a statistically insignificant difference (p>0.05), while a comparison of the serum VEGF-1 levels of the FMS and control groups revealed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum VEGFR-1 levels were higher in patients with FMS, while the serum VEGF levels of the FMS patients did not differ from those of the healthy controls.

Increased Levels of VEGF-A and HIF-1α in Turkish Children with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.

BACKGROUND: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a disease characterized by serious course, including acute viral fever, ecchymosis, thrombocytopenia, liver dysfunction and high rate of mortality. Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) play an important role both in the inflammatory process and plasma leakage. The aim of this study was to define HIF-1α and VEGF-A serum levels obtained from CCHF patients and control group and to investigate whether these factors were correlated with the pathogenesis of this disease. METHODS: Thirty cases younger than 17yr confirmed by RT-PCR and/or ELISA for CCHF were included in this study. Thirty age and sex matched healthy peoples were enrolled as controls. Blood samples collected from the patient and control groups. Serum levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A were measured with ELISA. RESULTS: Levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A were statistically significantly increased in CCHF patients compared to the control group (P< 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between the levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A in the patient group (P< 0.01). The levels of ALT, AST, CK, aPTT, WBC and Thrombocyte count were significantly higher in the patients than in the control group (P< 0.001). A positive correlation was found among the levels of AST and CK from biochemical parameters and VEGF and HIF-1α in the patient group (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: HIF-1α and VEGF-A might play an important role in CCHF pathogenesis.

Vitamin E and antioxidant activity; its role in slow coronary flow.

AIM: Oxidative stress, which is widely recognised as an important feature of many diseases, can be defined as an increased formation of reactive oxygen species or decreased antioxidant defense. In this study we measured plasma vitamin E levels and total antioxidant activity (AOA) in patients with slow coronary flow (SCF). METHODS: The plasma vitamin E levels and AOA were measured in 40 patients with angiographically diagnosed SCF. Forty subjects with normal coronary flow (NCF) served as the control group. SCF and NCF were analysed, and blood samples were taken for plasma vitamin E levels and AOA. Plasma vitamin E levels and AOA in patients with SCF were evaluated and compared to those of patients with NCF. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of plasma AOA, lipid profile and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels but there was a significant difference in vitamin E levels between the two groups (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Vitamin E levels were found to be lowered in patients with SCF compared to the NCF group. The association between smoking and vitamin E levels is worth further investigating in larger samples.

Comparison of oxidant/antioxidant, detoxification systems in various tissue homogenates and mitochondria of rats with diabetes induced by streptozocin.

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress is considered to be the main factor in the development of diabetic complications and tissue injury. our objective was to investigate and compare the oxidant/antioxidant conditions and detoxification mechanisms of the liver, lung, kidney, cardiac tissues, and mitochondria of rats with diabetes induced by streptozocin (STZ). METHODS: Rats with diabetes induced by streptozocin were anesthetized by administering 90 mg/kg ketamine hydrochloride and 3 mg/kg xylazine hydrochloride. Thoracic cavities were incised open; liver, lung, kidney, and cardiac tissues were removed and stored at -70°C. All samples were homogenized and mitochondrial fractions were separated. Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Oxidative Stress Index (OSI), Paraoxonase (PON), Arylesterase, Catalase (Cat), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Glutathion-S-transferase were measured in each fraction. RESULTS: MDA and TOS levels were significantly increased in liver tissues, and T OS and OSI were increased in the mitochondrial fractions of diabetic rats. These increases were not statistically significant compared to the control group. No significant differences were determined in the antioxidant and GST activities. CONCLUSION: According to our results, oxidative stress has not developed in rats with diabetes induced by streptozocin. The detoxification system was induced; however, this induction did not differ significantly from the controls.