ABSTRACT
The injury of myocardium due to coronary artery insufficiency results from hypoxia which increases the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]. Our study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of vascular endothelial growth factor in acute myocardial infarction and to find a correlation between its levels in serum and the severity of the coronary artery disease [CAD]. We studied 15 patients with acute myocadial infarction [AMI]. 15 patients with chronic coronary insufficiency [CCI] and 10 age and sex matched healthy subjects [control]. Serum VEGF levels were measured for all subjects using a competitive enzyme immunoassay. All subjects were submitted to echocardiography and only patients to coronary angiography to assess the severity of the coronary artery disease. The study revealed highly significant increase of VEGF in AMI group compared to the control group [P<0.001] while there was insignificant difference between CCI group and control group [P>0.05]. The severity score showed a significant positive correlation with VEGF in AMI group [P<0.05] and no correlation with VEGF in CCI group. The extent of myocardial damage contributes to the elevation of VEGF levels in AMI. VEGF levels correlate with the severity of CAD in AMI. On the other hand, in chronic coronary insufficiency there was insignificant elevation of VEGF with no correlation with the severity of CAD