Background/Purpose: Rheumatic diseases are chronic-inflammatory disease associated with endothelial damage, changes in vascular permeability and plaque formation. VEGF and E-selectin play an important role in chronic inflammation, therefore arterial stiffness is affected. Our aim was to evaluate association between disease activity, VEGF, E-selectin and arterial stiffness in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Methods: 41 patients with rheumatic disease (13 AS, 28 RA, 27 females and 14 males with mean age of 51,0±12,1 years) and 30 healthy controls (20 females and 10 males with mean age of 51,9±10,8 years) were enrolled to the study. Arterial stiffness, VEGF, E-selectin levels, BASDAI and DAS-28 scores were evaluated. VEGF and E-selectin were determined by ELISA, and arterial stiffness was measured by oscillometric method. Student’s T Test, Mann-Whitney-U Test and Wilcoxon Test were performed as statistical analysis and p<0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

Results: BASDAI, DAS-28, ESR and CRP levels were significantly decreased on the 3th month of treatment in all patients (p<0,001). Increased VEGF, E-selectin and decreased arterial stiffness parametres (PWV and Alx) was observed with treatment. These changes were not statistically significant. While the level of PWV was stable, Alx was decreased on the 3th months of non-TNF treatment in RA patients

Conclusion: Disease activity score, ESR and CRP were decreased in RA and AS patients with treatment resulting in reduced inflammation. Arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk is expected to be reduced significantly ongoing treatment process. VEGF, E-selectin, arterial stiffness parametres (PWV and Alx) can be used as a marker of disease activity in RA and AS.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-relationship-between-disease-activity-vegf-and-e-selectin-levels-with-arterial-stiffness-in-rheumatic-patients-treated-with-biological-agents/