Assessment of the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor and cardiovascular involvement in Egyptian patients with Behçet’s disease

Aim of the workTo evaluate the cardiovascular findings in Behçet’s disease (BD) and assess the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to study its relation to the extent of cardiovascular involvement.Patients and methodsThirty patients with BD were included in the study; 24 males and 6 females. Twenty age and sex matched healthy volunteers served as controls. All subjects were assessed clinically. The cardiovascular disorders were assessed by clinical examination, chest X-ray, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and lower extremity Doppler ultrasonography. Further investigations were performed for selected patients (stress ECG, chest computed tomography and coronary angiography). Routine laboratory investigations and serum level of VEGF were performed. Disease activity was assessed using Behçet’s Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF).Results40% of our patients had vascular complications, where 25% had only DVT, 16.7% had only large veins thrombosis, 16.7% had both deep and large veins thrombosis, 16.7% patients had both DVT and cardiac lesions, 10% showed arteritis with aneurysms. Cardiac involvement was detected in 8 patients (26.7%), where 13.3% had mitral regurge, 3.3% had mitral valve prolapse, 3.3% had aortic regurge, 3.3% had tricuspid regurge, 3.3% had right ventricular thrombus with right bundle branch block and 3.3% had antro-septal myocardial infarction. Serum levels of VEGF were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients (301.2 ± 134.5 pg/ml) than in controls (61.4 ± 52.5 pg/ml). The mean VEGF level significantly correlated with the BDCAF.ConclusionsAssessment of the cardiovascular system is advised in all patients with BD. The association between VEGF and cardiovascular involvement suggests a role for VEGF in the cardiovascular etiopathogenesis in Behçet’s disease.