Abstract:OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of serum leptin (LEP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children with congenital heart disease(CHD) and their roles in CHD. METHODS: Forty-eight children with acyanotic CHD (ACHD group), 20 age-matched children with cyanotic CHD (CCHD group) and 20 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. The ACHD group was subdivided into two groups with (n=20) or without concurrent heart failure (n=28). Serum LEP, VEGF, total protein and albumin levels and body mass index (BMI) were measured. RESULTS: Serum total protein and albumin levels were not apparently different in all CHD children from healthy controls, but there was a significant difference in the BMI between them (P<0.01). Serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in all CHD children were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P<0.01). Compared with the ACHD group without heart failure, the serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in the CCHD and the ACHD with heart failure groups increased significantly (P<0.01). In the ACHD group, serum LEP level was positively correlated with BMI (P<0.01). In the CCHD group, there were positive correlations between serum LEP level and serum VEGF level (P<0.01) and between hemoglobin concentration and serum VEGF level (P<0.01). Arterial oxygen saturation was negatively correlated with serum VEGF (P<0.01) and LEP levels (P<0.01) in the CCHD group. CONCLUSIONS: Both VEGF and LEP play roles in the pathophisiological process of CHD. VEGF and LEP are associated with the development of heart failure in children with ACHD. [Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2009, 11 (10):802-805]
ZHANG Yan-Hai,XIANG Ru-Lian,HU Xing-Ti et al. Changes of serum leptin and vascular endothelial growth factor in children with congenital heart disease[J]. CJCP, 2009, 11(10): 802-805.
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