Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-1, and angiopoietin-2 in diabetes: implications for cardiovascular risk and effects of multifactorial intervention

OBJECTIVE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and Ang-2 are mediators of angiogenesis. More recent data suggest that the balance between these growth factors may affect vascular endothelial integrity. Because diabetes is closely associated with endothelial perturbation, we studied plasma levels of these angiogenic growth factors in patients with diabetes; their relationship with glycemia, inflammation, and endothelial damage/dysfunction; and the effect of intensified cardiovascular risk management. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured plasma VEGF, Ang-1, and Ang-2 alongside plasma von Willebrand factor (vWf) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (marking endothelial damage/dysfunction) and interleukin (IL)-6 in 94 patients (38 with overt cardiovascular disease [CVD]) with diabetes and 34 normal control subjects. RESULTS: Plasma vWf (P=0.009), IL-6 (P