PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - DAITARO KUROSAKA AU - KENICHIRO HIRAI AU - MAKIKO NISHIOKA AU - YUKIO MIYAMOTO AU - KEN YOSHIDA AU - KENTARO NODA AU - TARO UKICHI AU - MAIMI YANAGIMACHI AU - KAZUHIRO FURUYA AU - EIGO TAKAHASHI AU - ISAMU KINGETSU AU - KUNIHIKO FUKUDA AU - AKIO YAMADA TI - Clinical Significance of Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Angiopoietin-1, and Angiopoietin-2 in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis AID - 10.3899/jrheum.090941 DP - 2010 Jun 01 TA - The Journal of Rheumatology PG - 1121--1128 VI - 37 IP - 6 4099 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/6/1121.short 4100 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/6/1121.full SO - J Rheumatol2010 Jun 01; 37 AB - 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 (0–2), 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. Serum Ang-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.