[Arterial Hypertension Complicated by Myocardial Hypertrophy and Heart Failure Is Associated With Lower Serum Levels of Vascular Endothelium Growth Factor (VEGF-A165)].

Aim: To study relationships of serum levels of vascular endothelium growth factor with left ventricular (LV) myocardial hypertrophy (H) and signs of heart failure (HF) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH).

Methods: We examined 47 patients with AH and by echo established thickening ( more or equal 16 mm) of LV wall and 47 patients with AH and normal (<12 mm) thickness of LV wall from control group selected according to "head-to-head" principle by age and sex. Serum VEGF-A165 level was measured by sandwich solid-phase immunoenzyme assay.

Results: VEGF-A165 level was significantly lower in the group of patients with LVH compared with control group (273.3+/-41.75 vs. 426.6+/-50.00 pg/ml, =0.016). VEGF-A165 level in patients with LVH and NYHA class III HF (140.4+/-51.49 pg/ml) was highly significantly different (p <0.001) from that in in patients without LVH.

Conclusion: Presence of LVH and HF in patients with AH was associated with lower levels of VEGF-A165 in peripheral blood.