ABSTRACT
·AIM: To investigate the changes of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) , Endostatin (ES), thrombospondin (TSP), tissue kallikrein (TKLK) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( sICAM-1) in patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) and its clinical significance.·METHODS:Selected 60 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( NPDR group ) , 60 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR group ) were enrolled in this study. Sixty diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy ( DM group ) and 60 healthy people ( control group) were also enrolled. Collection time was from January 2014 to December 2016. Serum levels of VEGF, ES, TSP, TKLK and sICAM-1 were measured and compared.·RESULTS: The levels of serum VEGF, TKLK and sICAM-1 in PDR group were significantly higher than those in NPDR group, DM group and control group ( P<0. 05). The ES of PDR group was significantly lower than that of NPDR group, DM group and control group ( P<0. 05). The levels of VEGF, TKLK and ES in the NPDR group were significantly higher than those in the DM group and the control group (P<0. 05). The serum VEGF in the NPDR group was positively correlated with the levels of ES, TKLK and sICAM-1 (P<0. 05). The serum VEGF of PDR group was positively related to the levels of TKLK and sICAM-1 (P<0. 05). There was no significant relationship between serum VEGF with ES and TSP in PDR group (P>0. 05).·CONCLUSION: The levels of serum ES, TSP, TKLK and sICAM - 1 in patients with DR have changed significantly, and the process of retinopathy has been affected by regulating the level of VEGF.