Effect of Revascularization on Intramuscular Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Peripheral Arterial Disease
Larissa Schawe,
Ben Raude,
Jan Christoph Carstens,
Irene Hinterseher,
Raphael Donatus Hein,
Safwan Omran,
Gilles Berger,
Nina A. Hering,
Matthias Buerger,
Andreas Greiner,
Jan Paul Frese
Affiliations
Larissa Schawe
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Ben Raude
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Jan Christoph Carstens
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Irene Hinterseher
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Raphael Donatus Hein
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Safwan Omran
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Gilles Berger
Microbiology, Bioorganic & Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Bd du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Nina A. Hering
Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Matthias Buerger
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Andreas Greiner
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Jan Paul Frese
Department of Vascular Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent driver of angiogenesis, which may help to relieve ischemia in peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We aimed to investigate the role of intramuscular VEGF in ischemic and non-ischemic skeletal muscle in PAD patients before and after surgical or endovascular revascularization and different stages of PAD. Biopsies of the gastrocnemius and vastus muscles from twenty PAD patients with stenosis or occlusion of the superficial femoral artery were obtained both during revascularization and 8 weeks postoperatively. The gastrocnemius muscle was considered ischemic, while vastus muscle biopsies served as intraindividual controls. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in muscle lysates were then determined by ELISA. Preoperative VEGF levels were significantly higher in ischemic muscles compared to the controls (98.07 ± 61.96 pg/mL vs. 55.50 ± 27.33 pg/mL, p = 0.004). Postoperative values decreased significantly (p = 0.010) to 54.83 ± 49.60 pg/mL in gastrocnemius biopsies. No significant change was observed in vastus muscle biopsies, with mean postoperative VEGF values found at 54.16 ± 40.66 pg/mL. Since all patients still had indications for revascularization, impairment of angiogenesis mechanisms can be assumed. More research about angiogenesis in PAD is needed with the ultimate goal to improve conservative treatment.
