Evaluation of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and endostatin in systemic sclerosis patients – correlation with lung and cardio-vascular system involvement

Recent studies point out the role of angiogenesis disturbances in the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc).
The aim of our study was to examine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin serum levels in scleroderma patients and their correlation with skin involvement and internal organ changes.
We studied 33 patients (14 with limited and 19 with diffuse SSc). The extension of skin involvement was measured using Total Skin Score (TSS). Internal organ involvement was assessed with specialistic procedures. ELISA measured serum VEGF and endostatin concentrations.
We found statistically significant difference between endostatin serum levels in the control group and the patients with SSc and dSSc. Statistical analysis showed that higher VEGF levels were found in SSc and lSSc patients with changes on chest X-ray examinations, higher endostatin levels were more often observed in SSc and lSSc patients with abnormalities in cardiovascular system and in lSSc with lung dysfunction.
The obtained results revealed that disturbances of angiogenesis might play a role in SSc pathogenesis. VEGF serum levels correlate with changes on chest X-ray and endostatin serum levels with abnormalities in cardiovascular system and lung dysfunction.