Simultaneous Assessment of Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Epithelial Lining Fluid From Patients With COPD

Upregulated HGF probably compensated for the reduced levels of VEGF and preserved the pulmonary function in smokers without COPD. By contrast, both HGF and VEGF levels were decreased in smokers with COPD, which likely led to the development of COPD. Thus, the level of HGF relative to that of VEGF may be a reliable indicator of the risk for COPD.