Abstract
BackgroundIncreasing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported in remitting symmetrical seronegative synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). The aim of this study was to compare VEGF levels in patients over 60 years of age who have RS3PE, RA, PMR or GCA so as to determine whether elevated VEGF is specific for a rheumatic disease, the inflammation or edema that occurs with these pathological conditions.MethodsIn this retrospective, multicentric study we assessed serum and plasma levels of VEGF in patients over 60 years of age with rheumatic diseases that were either de novo or of recent onset according to the initial clinical presentation, and we compared these patients with a control group.ResultsSerum and plasma VEGF levels were determined in 80 patients (5 with RS3PE, 13 with RA, 44 with PMR, and 18 with GCA) and 37 controls. Edema occurred in five patients with RS3PE, four with RA, and one with PMR, but not patients with GCA. Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in individuals with rheumatic diseases (849 (405.5–1235.5) pg/ml) relative to the controls (484 (302–555) pg/ml) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between patients with RS3PE, RA, PMR, or GCA in terms of the VEGF serum levels (p = 0.60) or plasma levels (p = 0.57). Similarly, the occurrence of edema did not correlate with VEGF levels.ConclusionVEGF increases in rheumatic diseases compared to a control group. This was not associated with specific rheumatic diseases or with edematous rheumatic diseases.
Highlights
Increasing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported in remitting symmetrical seronegative synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA)
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), giant cell arteritis (GCA), and remitting symmetrical seronegative synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) are pathological conditions that are specific to elderly individuals, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common of the rheumatic diseases in this population [1]
We included patients who were 60 years of age or older, and who had new or recent onset (
Summary
Increasing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported in remitting symmetrical seronegative synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). The aim of this study was to compare VEGF levels in patients over 60 years of age who have RS3PE, RA, PMR or GCA so as to determine whether elevated VEGF is specific for a rheumatic disease, the inflammation or edema that occurs with these pathological conditions. Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), giant cell arteritis (GCA), and remitting symmetrical seronegative synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) are pathological conditions that are specific to elderly individuals, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common of the rheumatic diseases in this population [1]. While polymyalgia symptoms are seen in PMR [2] and RS3PE [3], these occur in 40–60% of patients with GCA [2] and in an isolated manner in 25% of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a growth factor for the vascular endothelium that has key roles in angiogenesis and vascular permeability. The aim of this study was to assess VEGF in patients over 60 years of age, who had RS3PE, RA that was starting to exhibit symptoms of polymyalgia and/or edema, PMR, or GCA, so as to determine whether VEGF is specific to inflammatory pathological change in aged individuals or to the edema seen with these conditions
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