Document Detail


VEGF and imaging of vessels in rheumatoid arthritis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12110128     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Angiogenesis is a prominent feature of rheumatoid synovitis. Formation of new blood vessels permits a supply of nutrients and oxygen to the augmented inflammatory cell mass and so contributes to perpetuation of joint disease. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent endothelial cell-specific growth factor that is upregulated by proinflammatory cytokines and by hypoxia. Serum VEGF concentrations are elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and correlate with disease activity. Furthermore, serum VEGF measured at first presentation in RA is highly significantly correlated with radiographic progression of disease over the subsequent year. Power Doppler ultrasonography is a sensitive method for demonstrating the presence of blood flow in small vessels and there is a very close relation between the presence or absence of vascular flow signal on power Doppler imaging and the rate of early synovial enhancement on dynamic gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of joints with RA. Images obtained by both dynamic enhanced MRI and power Doppler ultrasonography correlate with vascularity of synovial tissue as assessed histologically. In early RA, there is a striking association between joint erosions assessed on high-resolution ultrasonography and vascular signal in power Doppler mode. Collectively, these findings implicate vascular pannus in the erosive phase of disease and strongly suggest that proangiogenic molecules such as VEGF are targets for novel therapies in RA. Animal model data supports this concept. It seems likely that serological and imaging measures of vascularity in RA will become useful tools in the assessment of disease activity and response to therapy.
Authors:
Peter C Taylor
Related Documents :
11952018 - Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in a neonate due to factor v leiden deficiency.
10362208 - The mitral regurgitation index: an echocardiographic guide to severity.
10511298 - Power doppler ultrasonography: alternative to computed tomography in abdominal trauma p...
1606978 - Independent evaluation of impotence by colour doppler imaging and cavernosometry.
14588948 - Effect of torso flexion on the lumbar torso extensor muscle sagittal plane moment arms.
11585108 - Brain mri findings in influenza a-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy of childh...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review     Date:  2002-05-09
Journal Detail:
Title:  Arthritis research     Volume:  4 Suppl 3     ISSN:  1465-9905     ISO Abbreviation:  Arthritis Res.     Publication Date:  2002  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-07-11     Completed Date:  2003-05-22     Revised Date:  2012-05-07    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100913255     Medline TA:  Arthritis Res     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  S99-107     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
The Kennedy Institute Division, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK. peter.c.taylor@ic.ac.uk
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / pathology*,  ultrasonography*
Blood Vessels / pathology,  ultrasonography
Endothelial Growth Factors / blood*
Humans
Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / blood*
Lymphokines / blood*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Synovial Membrane / blood supply*,  pathology,  ultrasonography
Ultrasonography, Doppler
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Endothelial Growth Factors; 0/Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; 0/Lymphokines; 0/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; 0/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Interactions between leukocytes and endothelial cells in gout: lessons from a self-limiting inflamma...
Next Document:  Endothelial activation: intracellular signaling pathways.