Increased vascular endothelial growth factor D is associated with atrial fibrillation and ischaemic stroke.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) has important functions in lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis. High plasma levels of VEGF-D have been associated with incidence of heart failure. The association of VEGF-D with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke is unclear and we hypothesised that VEGF-D could also be associated with incidence of AF and ischaemic stroke.

METHODS:

VEGF-D was measured in fasting blood samples of 4689 subjects (40% men) without a history of AF from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, a prospective, population-based study in Sweden. Median age was 58 years (range 46-68). Cox regression analyses, adjusted for multiple risk factors, was used to assess AF and ischaemic stroke risk in relation to VEGF-D levels.

RESULTS:

During a median follow-up time of 20.6 years, there were 637 cases of incident AF and 322 cases of first ischaemic stroke. After adjustment, VEGF-D was significantly associated with AF (HR 1.13(95% CI 1.04 to 1.23) per 1 SD increase) and ischaemic stroke (HR 1.14(95% CI 1.02 to 1.28) per 1 SD). The association with ischaemic stroke was explained by an increased incidence of AF-related stroke. HRs per 1 SD were 1.34 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.71) for AF-related ischaemic stroke and 1.04 (95% CI 0.90 to 1.19) for ischaemic stroke without AF.

CONCLUSIONS:

Increased VEGF-D concentrations were associated with AF and ischaemic stroke. The relationship with ischaemic stroke was more pronounced in subjects with a diagnosis of AF.

• Authors: John Berntsson, J Gustav Smith, Linda S B Johnson, Martin Söderholm, Yan Borné, Olle Melander, Marju Orho-Melander, Jan Nilsson, Gunnar Engström
• Journal: Heart (British Cardiac Society) (Heart) Vol. 105 Issue 7 Pg. 553-558 (04 2019) ISSN: 1468-201X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30327392 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Chemical References

• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D

Topics

• Atrial Fibrillation (blood, complications, epidemiology)
• Correlation of Data
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Factors
• Stroke (blood, epidemiology, etiology)
• Sweden (epidemiology)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D (blood)