Abstract 13044: Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C Levels are Inversely Associated with the Risk of Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events Following Drug-eluting Stent Implantation

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) plays a key role in lymphangiogenesis. Recently, we demonstrated that VEGF-C is closely associated with dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. However, the prognostic value of VEGF-C levels after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation is unknown. Methods and Results: We performed a prospective cohort study involving a total of 443 patients (age, 71.7±9.0 y [SD]; male, 73.8%; number of lesions, 1.6±0.8) who underwent successful DES implantation. Patients were recruited between January 2010 and October 2013, and were followed up over 3 years. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) defined as cardiovascular death, hospitalization due to acute coronary syndrome, stroke, heart failure, and coronary revascularization. The median follow-up was 617 (inter-quartile range, 320-937) days. Pre-procedural serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and VEGF-C were measured. During the follow-up period, MACCE developed in a total of 106 patients (23.9%). Patients were divided into two groups based on the median of each biomarker. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, low-VEGF-C (P=0.0005 by log-rank test), but not high-hsCRP (P=0.3) or high-VEGF-A (P=0.3), was significantly associated with the risk of MACCE. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that levels of VEGF-C (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 per 1-SD increase; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.94; P=0.011), but not hsCRP (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.86-1.25; P=0.6) or VEGF-A (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.86-1.23; P=0.6), were inversely and significantly associated with MACCE after adjustment for age, gender, and established risk factors, the number of lesions, and type of DES. Finally, we performed stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis including data on age, gender, established risk factors, the number of lesions, type of DES, and VEGF-C levels. Notably, the only independent predictor of MACCE was the VEGF-C level (HR, 0.74 per 1-SD increase; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91; P=0.0042), followed by diabetes (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.98-2.21; P=0.060). Conclusions: A low VEGF-C value may serve as a predictor of MACCE after DES implantation.

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Abstract 17849: Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels Associated With the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events After Drug-eluting Stent Implantation

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.17849 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Takashi Unoki ◽

Daisuke Takagi ◽

Kensuke Takabayashi ◽

Suichi Ura ◽

Akira Yamada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽

Growth Factor ◽

Drug Eluting Stent ◽

Vascular Endothelial ◽

Proportional Hazard ◽

Coronary Syndrome ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard ◽

Cerebrovascular Events ◽

Drug Eluting ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a central player in angiogenesis, is not only involved in the progression of atherosclerotic plaque, but also required for preventing decompensated heart failure (HF). High circulating oxidatively modified LDL-cholesterol (oxLDL) levels are associated with vulnerability to the rupture of atherosclerotic lesions. However, the relationships of circulating VEGF and oxLDLs with major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in patients undergoing coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation are unclear. Methods and Results: We enrolled 441 patients who electively underwent coronary DES implantation. Patients were followed up over 2 years. MACCE were defined as cardiac and cerebrovascular death, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and HF hospitalization. Revascularization for asymptomatic patients were excluded. Pre-procedural serum levels of high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), VEGF, and two oxLDLs, serum-amyloid-A/LDL complex (SAA-LDL) and α1-antitrypsin/LDL complex (AT-LDL), were measured. During a median follow-up of 720 (IQR, 498-720) days, MACCE developed in a total of 39 patients (8.8%). Patients were divided into two groups based on the median of each biomarker. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, high-VEGF and high-SAA-LDL ( P =0.009, P =0.0498 by log-rank test, respectively), but not high-hsCRP or high-AT-LDL, were significantly associated with MACCE. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that natural log-transformed VEGF levels (Ln-VEGF) (HR, 1.9 per 1 SD increase; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.0; P =0.001), but not Ln-SAA-LDL (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.89-1.5, P =0.3), Ln-hsCRP, or Ln-AT-LDL, was significantly associated with MACCE after adjustment for age, sex, and established risk factors. Finally, we performed stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis including possible confounders, such as the number of lesions and type of DES, and these biomarkers. Notably, the independent predictors of MACCE were age (HR, 1.8 per 10 years; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7; P =0.004), Ln-VEGF (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.1; P =0.005) and chronic kidney disease (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.0; P =0.01). Conclusions: A high VEGF value may serve as a predictor of MACCE following coronary DES implantation.

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Abstract 12898: Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C Levels are Inversely Associated With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Arteriosclerotic Obliterans

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.130.suppl_2.12898 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽

Author(s):

Nobutoyo Masunaga ◽

Hiromichi Wada ◽

Masaharu Akao ◽

Shuichi Ura ◽

Akira Yamada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Vascular Endothelial ◽

Proportional Hazard ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard ◽

Factor C ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), a homologue of VEGF family, plays a key role in lymphangiogenesis. Recently, we demonstrated that VEGF-C is closely associated with dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between serum VEGF-C levels and cardiovascular events in patients with atherosclerotic disease is unknown. Methods and Results: We performed a prospective cohort study involving a total of 209 patients with arteriosclerotic obliterans (ASO) (age, 73±8 y [SD]; male, 75%; hypertension, 88%; diabetes, 69%; dyslipidemia, 72%; history of smoking, 76%; Fontaine class, 2.1±0.8). Serum levels of VEGF-C, VEGF-A and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were determined employing specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) defined as all-cause mortality, hospitalization due to acute coronary syndrome, stroke, congestive heart failure, aortic disease, and coronary/peripheral revascularization. Patients were followed up over a 4 year period. The median follow-up was 484 (IQR, 220-955) days. During the follow-up period, MACEs developed in a total of 86 patients (41.1 %). Patients were divided into two groups based on the median of each biomarker. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, low-VEGF-C (P=0.014, by log-rank test), but not high-hsCRP or high-VEGF-A, was significantly associated with MACEs. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that serum levels of VEGF-C (hazard ratio [HR], 0.79 [per 1-SD increase]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.99; P=0.04), but not hsCRP or VEGF-A, were inversely and significantly associated with MACEs after adjustment for age, gender, and established risk factors. Finally, we performed stepwise Cox proportional hazard analysis including data on age, gender, established risk factors, Fontaine class and serum levels of hsCRP, VEGF-A and VEGF-C. Notably, Fontaine class (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.8; P=0.002) and the VEGF-C level (HR [per 1-SD increase], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-0.99; P=0.045), but not other parameters, were independent predictors of MACEs. Conclusions: A low VEGF-C value may serve as a predictive marker of cardiovascular events in patients with ASO.

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