Relationship between Angiotensin II, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, and Arteriosclerosis Obliterans.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between angiotensin II (Ang II), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO).

METHODS: 60 ASO patients diagnosed and treated from October 2019 to December 2021 were selected for the observation group while 30 healthy physical examiners were for the control group. The general information (gender, age, history of smoking, diabetes, and hypertension) and arterial blood pressure (systolic and diastolic blood pressure) of the two groups were collected, and parameters like disease site and duration, Fontaine stage, and ankle-brachial index (ABI) of ASO patients have been evaluated. Ang II, VEGF, uric acid (UA), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) were also detected for the two groups. The variations in UA, LDL, HDL, TG, and TC among two groups along with levels of Ang II and VEGF in ASO patients in accordance to conditions like the general situation, disease duration, disease site, Fontaine stage, and ABI risk level have been studied to establish a correlation between Ang II and VEGF and ASO.

RESULTS: (1) The proportion of males with a history of smoking, diabetes, and hypertension was higher ( P < 0.05) among ASO patients in comparison to the control group. The diastolic blood pressure, LDL, TC, Ang II, and VEGF levels were found to be higher ( P < 0.05) whereas HDL was low ( P < 0.01). (2) The level of Ang II in male patients with ASO was significantly higher than that in female ASO patients ( P < 0.05). In ASO patients, the levels of Ang II and VEGF increased not only with age ( P < 0.01) but also with progression in Fontaine stages II, III, and IV ( P < 0.01). (3) Logistic regression analysis revealed Ang II and VEGF as risk factors for ASO. (4) An AUC (area under the ROC (receiver operator characteristic) curve) for Ang II and VEGF for the diagnosis of ASO was 0.764 (good) and 0.854 (very good), respectively, while their combined AUC in diagnosing ASO was 0.901 (excellent). The AUC of Ang II and VEGF together in diagnosing ASO was greater than that of Ang II and VEGF alone along with higher specificity as well (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Ang II and VEGF were correlated with the occurrence and development of ASO. The AUC analysis demonstrates that Ang II and VEGF were highly discriminative of ASO.