Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A Is Associated with Platelets and Complement 4 in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Objective: We aimed at investigating the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in patients with primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS) and evaluating the relationship between serum VEGF-A and the laboratory indicators that are associated with it in pSS.

Methods: The VEGF-A levels were measured by ELISA in a total of 88 participants, including 58 patients with pSS and 30 healthy people. The VEGF-A levels between two groups were analyzed.

Results: The serum levels of VEGF-A in pSS and control groups were 175.50 (112.00,296.50) pg/mL and 181.50 (155.25,288.50) pg/mL, without statistically significant difference. The associations were found between serum levels of VEGF-A with C reactive protein (CRP) (r=0.265, <0.05), white blood cells (WBC) (r=0.302, P<0.05), neutrophils (NEUT) (r=0.349, <0.05), platelets(PLT) (r=0.276, <0.05), complement 3 (C3) (r=0.477, P<0.05), complement 4 (C4) (r=0.387, <0.05) and CA19-9 (r=0.392, <0.05). Among these laboratory indicators, VEGF-A was correlated with platelets and complement 4 in patients with pSS.

Conclusions: In patients with pSS, the levels of VEGF-A were independently influenced by the levels of platelet and complement 4, which indicated the intermodulation between the growth factor and immune system in the autoimmune disease.