Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a member of the endothelial-specific growth factors with the greatest mitogenic activity, may play a role in the protection and/or repair of vascular endothelial cells injured by atherosclerosis. As a result, plasma HGF concentration may increase in response to endothelial cell damage. To test this hypothesis, we measured plasma concentrations of HGF in patients with or without aorto-iliac artery atherosclerotic disease.
Methods: One hundred ten consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. Abdominal aortography was performed after coronary arteriography to determine whether aorto-iliac artery atherosclerotic disease was present. Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained to measure the plasma HGF concentration.
Results: Aortography revealed aorto-iliac atherosclerotic disease in 35 patients (32%). The plasma HGF concentration was significantly higher in patients with arteriosclerotic lesions (0.35 +/- 0.11 ng/mL) than in patients without atherosclerotic lesions (0.27 +/- 0.09 ng/mL, P =.0002). On the basis of multiple logistic regression analysis of the relationships between coronary risk factors, age, sex, severity of coronary artery disease, plasma HGF concentration, and the presence of arteriosclerotic lesions, plasma HGF concentration (P =.0005) and age (P =.035) were found to predict independently the presence of aorto-iliac arteriosclerosis.
Conclusion: Plasma HGF concentration can be used to predict the presence of arteriosclerotic lesions in the region from the abdominal aorta to the femoral arteries.