Several studies have investigated various biomarkers in relation to peripheral artery disease (PAD) for disease stratification and early-onset detection. In PAD, angiogenesis is required for tissue restoration and tissue perfusion. Considering changes in angiogenesis in patients with PAD, angiogenic factors could be explored as one of the new prognostic molecules. In recent studies, saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) have gained recognition as new, easily obtained diagnostic materials. This study aimed to compare the levels of selected circulating angiogenic factors (VEGF-A, PDGF-BB, and ANG-1) in unstimulated whole saliva (WS) and GCF versus plasma at three points in time to find possible correlations between their concentrations among patients with PAD and diabetes type 2 in 32 patients with Rutherford stages 5 and 6. A significant positive correlation has been demonstrated between circulating PDGF-BB levels in GCF and plasma. In most cases, comorbidities do not have an impact on the change in general correlation for the whole group. Our results clearly showed that GCF could be a good source for PDGF assessment. However, future studies with a larger number of subjects are warranted to confirm this finding and identify the most accurate angiogenic biomarkers in saliva or GCF that could be applied in clinical practice.
Keywords: PAD; angiogenesis; circulating antiangiogenic factor; circulating proangiogenic factor; gingival crevicular fluid.