Background: There are limited data on the associations of circulating angiogenic factors with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We investigate the associations of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-1/VEGF-A ratio, VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR-1), VEGFR-2, and pentraxin-3 with CKD.
Methods: We recruited 201 patients with CKD and 201 community controls without CKD from the greater New Orleans area. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or presence of albuminuria. Multivariable quantile and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between angiogenesis-related factors and CKD adjusting for confounding factors.
Results: After adjusting for covariables including traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, C-reactive protein, and history of CVD, the medians (interquartile range) were 133.08 (90.39, 204.15) in patients with CKD vs. 114.17 (72.45, 170.32) pg/mL in controls without CKD (p = 0.002 for group difference) for VEGF-A; 3951.2 (2471.9, 6656.6) vs. 4270.5 (2763.7, 6537.2) pg/mL (p = 0.70) for angiopoietin-1; 25.87 (18.09, 47.90) vs. 36.55 (25.71, 61.10) (p = 0.0001) for angiopoietin-1/VEGF-A ratio; 147.81 (122.94, 168.79) vs. 144.16 (123.74, 168.05) ng/mL (p = 0.25) for VEGFR-1; 26.20 (22.67, 29.92) vs. 26.28 (23.10, 29.69) ng/mL (p = 0.31) for VEGFR-2; and 1.01 (0.79, 1.49)vs. 0.89 (0.58, 1.18) ng/mL (p = 0.01) for pentraxin-3, respectively. In addition, an elevated VEGF-A level and decreased angiopoietin-1/VEGF-A ratio were associated with increased odds of CKD.
Conclusions: These data indicate that plasma VEGF-A and pentraxin-3 levels were increased and the angiopoietin-1/VEGF-A ratio was decreased in patients with CKD. Future prospective studies are warranted to examine whether angiogenic factors play a role in progression of CKD.
Keywords: Angiopoietin-1; Chronic kidney disease; Pentraxin-3; Vascular endothelial growth factor-a.