All issues > Volume 49(2); 2006

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2006;49(2):192-197. Published online February 15, 2006.

The significance of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in children with asthma and pneumonia

Seong Hwan SH Choi¹, Jung Yeon JY Shim¹, Myung Hwan MH Yoo¹, Deok Soo DS Kim¹, Jae Won JW Shim¹, Hye Lim HL Jung¹, Moon Soo MS Park¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seou

Correspondence Jung Yeon JY Shim ,Email: jyssim@hotmail.com

Abstract

Purpose
: Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a key cytokine for controlling vascular permeability and angiogenesis, which is one of the major findings in airway remodeling. However, it is not well known if it is associated with acute lower respiratory tract disease such as lobar pneumonia. The aim of this study is to compare serum VEGF levels in patients with asthma according to its severity and duration of cough, and to compare its levels with children with lobar pneumonia.
Methods
: Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the serum VEGF levels were measured in 16 mild asthmatics, 14 moderate to severe asthmatics, six children with lobar pneumonia, and 22 control subjects. The asthmatics were also classified into three groups according to the duration of cough. Serum VEGF levels were compared in each group.
Results
: Serum VEGF levels were significantly increased in the children with moderate to severe asthma and lobar pneumonia compared to the children with mild asthma and control subjects. Serum VEGF levels were higher in children with chronic coughs of more than two weeks than in children with coughs lasting less than two weeks. Serum levels of VEGF showed positive correlations with blood platelet and white blood cell counts.
Conclusion
: VEGF increased according to the severity of asthma and duration of cough in children with asthma. It may play an important role not only in chronic airway inflammation, but also in the acute inflammation in children with lower respiratory tract disease.

Keywords :Asthma , VEGF , Pneumonia , Cough , Airway inflammation