Evaluation of some angiogenic stimulators in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis patients

Abstract EN

Hypothesis: Angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels, is important in rheumatological disorders.

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), itnerleukin-8 (IL-8) and nitric oxide (NO) are important angiogenic stimulators that play a crucial role in angiogenesis.

Methodology: Serum levels of VEGP, IL-8 and NO were determined in 20 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; 32 osteoarthritis (OA) patients and 10 completely healthy individuals comparable to patients in age and serving as a control group.

The serum levels of these bioindices were correlated to criteria of activity of RA and OA.

Results: The study revealed significantly increased levels of angiogenic factors in RA and OA as compared to controls.

However, the levels of VEGP and IL-8 were insignificantly higher in RA as compared to OA.

But NO levels were significantly higher in RA as compared to OA.

The levels of these indices were related to activity criteria of RA, being higher in patients with greater number of joints affected, advanced function loss or x-ray grade, and correlated significantly with ESR and articular index as well.

In OA, VEGP, IL-8 and NO reflected the activity of the disease, being higher in advanced grades of disease and correlated with ESR.

The sources of these agiogenic stimulators are multiple.

They can be derived from a variety of activated cells (including chondrocytes, synovial cells and macrophages).

Conclusion: The effect of some currently used antirheumatic agents could be attributed to their effects on those angiogenic stimulators.

New pharmacologic interventions using new antiangiogenic drugs could be helpful in rheumatology.