@article {Kurosakajrheum.090941, author = {Daitaro Kurosaka and Kenichiro Hirai and Makiko Nishioka and Yukio Miyamoto and Ken Yoshida and Kentaro Noda and Taro Ukichi and Maimi Yanagimachi and Kazuhiro Furuya and Eigo Takahashi and Isamu Kingetsu and Kunihiko Fukuda and Akio Yamada}, title = {Clinical Significance of Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Angiopoietin-1, and Angiopoietin-2 in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis}, elocation-id = {jrheum.090941}, year = {2010}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.090941}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods The subjects were 70 patients with RA. Serum VEGF, Ang-1, and Ang-2 levels were determined by ELISA. As indices of disease activity, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-3 were examined, and the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28)-CRP was calculated. Power Doppler ultrasonography was performed in the bilateral wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles. The synovial blood flow signals were scored using a 3-grade scale (0{\textendash}2), and the total of the scores in the 10 joints was regarded as the total signal score (TSS). Results Serum VEGF level showed significant correlations with serum CRP and MMP-3 levels, DAS28-CRP, and TSS. SerumAng-1 level showed significant correlations with serum MMP-3 level and DAS28-CRP. Serum Ang-2 level showed significant correlations with serum CRP level and TSS. Conclusion The serum VEGF level is important as an index of the activity of RA based on angiogenesis and a prognostic factor regarding joint destruction. Serum Ang-1 level may be useful as an index of sustained arthritis based on the maintenance of newly formed vessels. Serum Ang-2 level may reflect a state of marked angiogenesis.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2010/04/28/jrheum.090941}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2010/04/28/jrheum.090941.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }