Vascular endothelial growth factor and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 in patients with end-stage renal disease. Associations with laboratory findings, comorbidities, and medications

Objectives: To show the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and to show the associations with clinical findings such as demographic features, laboratory findings, comorbidities, and medications. Methods: A total of 73 people, consisting of patients with ESRD (n=38) and healthy subjects (n=35) in Gulhane Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, were included in this cross-sectional study between the years 2011 and 2013. Blood samples were obtained and plasma VEGF, sVEGFR-1 analyzes were performed. Results: The VEGF level of ESRD group was not significantly higher (0.280±0.264) than the control group (0.321±0.210) ( p =0.475). The sVEGFR-1 level of ESRD group was significantly higher (0.217±0.135) than the control group (0.068±0.047) ( p less than 0.001). The correlation between VEGF and sVEGFR-1 was significant and negative (r=-0.246, p =0.036). Average VEGF level of ESRD patients using recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) was significantly higher (0.567±0.28) than the ESRD patients not using rhEPO (0.246±0.24) ( p =0.025). Conclusion: Our study is the first showing the significance of sVEGFR-1 in ESRD patients, and associations with comorbidities, medications. Especially our finding of rhEPO and VEGF may illuminate a reasonable positive effect of rhEPO on angiogenesis. Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and VEGF may be important markers in the pathophysiology of ESRD. Saudi Med J 2018; Vol. 39 (6): 586-591 doi: 10.15537/smj.2018.6.22024 How to cite this article: Erturk I, Yesildal F, Acar R, Ozgurtas T, Saglam K. Vascular endothelial growth factor and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 in patients with end-stage renal disease. Associations with laboratory findings, comorbidities, and medications. Saudi Med J . 2018 Jun;39(6):586-591. doi: 10.15537/smj.2018.6.22024.