Monitoring of vascular endothelial growth factor and its soluble receptor levels in early trauma.

BACKGROUND: This clinical observation study aimed to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its soluble receptors with the severity and the occurrence of late acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in early trauma.

METHODS: Sixty patients with multiple injuries were divided into three groups according to the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the serum levels of VEGF, soluble VEGF receptor 1 (sVEGFR1), and sVEGFR2, were measured. Ten healthy people were recruited as controls. The incidence of late ARDS was also monitored, and its relationship to the above measures analyzed.

RESULTS: VEGF was not associated with ISS (p > 0.05); sVEGFR1 was positively associated with ISS (r = 0.459, p < 0.0001); however, sVEGFR2 was negatively associated with ISS (r = 0.510, p < 0.0001). The serum VEGF levels between the ARDS group and the non-ARDS group showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). sVEGFR1 in the ARDS group was significantly higher than that in the non-ARDS group (p < 0.0001), and sVEGFR2 in the ARDS group was significantly lower than that in the non-ARDS group (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the increasing of sVEGFR1 and the decreasing of sVEGFR2 in early trauma might be closely related to the occurrence of late ARDS.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic study, level III.