RESUMO
In order to evaluate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] in the pathology of CHF, this study was conducted on 96 subjects [57 males and 39 females]. Sixty-eight of them had congestive heart failure of various etiologies [40 males and 28 females with an age ranged from 18 to 76 years with a mean +/- SD of 47.83 +/- 16.2] together with 28 apparently healthy individuals [17 males and 11 females with ages ranged from 18 to 65 years with a mean +/- SD of 33.2 +/- 11] as the control group. The patients were classified into five groups according to the etiology of congestive heart failure. All groups were subjected to history taking and clinical examination with a special emphasis on the symptoms and signs suggestive of CHF and manifestations of underlying, cause laboratory investigations [CBC, lipid profile, fasting and two-hour postprandial blood sugar, renal function tests, serum transaminases, ESR, antistreptolysin O titer, C-reactive protein and thyroid function tests], ECG, chest X-ray, echocardiography and abdominal sonography. Vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] serum level was determined by a commercially available ELISA test