VEGF Polymorphisms are Associated with Higher Mortality in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

David C. Christiani, MD, MPH
Harvard School of Public Health
P30ES0000002

Endothelial cell injury is an important factor in predicting the outcome of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a lung injury characterized by damage to the alveoli and increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to play a critical role in endothelial cell death and angiogenesis.

Dr. David Christiani and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health investigated the impacts of polymorphisms in the VEGF gene on the clinical outcomes of ARDS. They found three variations of the gene in 1,253 intensive care patients with risk factors for ARDS; 394 of these patients later developed the syndrome. Two of the polymorphisms were associated with increased mortality from ARDS. The risk was increased 2-4 fold. Plasma VEGF levels were significantly lower, by more than half, in patients with the two at-risk polymorphisms as compared to the other gene variation.

The research team points out that this is a small study, which needs to be replicated along with studying other functional VEGF variations before any definitive conclusions can be made. However they conclude that at least two VEGF polymorphisms are associated with increase mortality from ARDS and that their findings may lead to the discovery of new treatments for ARDS.

Citation: Zhai R, Gong MN, Zhou W, Thompson TB, Kraft P, Su L, Christiani DC. Genotypes and haplotypes of the VEGF gene are associated with higher mortality and lower VEGF plasma levels in patients with ARDS. Thorax. 2007 Aug;62(8):718-22.