Predictive value of serum VEGF, IL-1 and TNF-α in the treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans by revascularization

Effect of revascularization in the treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) and the predictive value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of risk factors of amputation were investigated. From April 2012 to August 2015, a total of 117 patients with TAO admitted to the First Hospital of Lanzhou University were selected. Patients treated with revascularization combined with prostaglandin sodium and cilostazol were enrolled in group A (67 patients), and patients treated with sodium and cilostazol were enrolled in group B (50 patients). The clinical efficacy was evaluated by calculating the intermittent claudication distance and the ankle brachial index (ABI) of patients. The occurrence probability of nausea and vomiting, skin pruritus, abdominal pain, coagulation abnormalities and amputation were recorded. The concentration of serum VEGF, IL-1 and TNF-α were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After treatment, the intermittent claudication distance, ABI and efficiency of group A was markedly higher than that of group B (P<0.05). After treatment, serum VEGF concentration in group A was clearly higher than that in group B (P<0.05), and IL-1 and TNF-α levels were much lower than those in group B (P<0.05). The amputation rate in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (P<0.05). Patients with amputation in both groups were enrolled in the study group (24 cases), and those without amputation were included in the control group (93 cases). The serum VEGF concentration in the study group before treatment was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), while IL-1 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, pretreatment serum VEGF, IL-1 and TNF-α had a positive diagnostic value for poor prognosis of patients with amputation, and low concentration of VEGF and higher concentration of IL-1 and TNF-α are the risk factors for amputations in patients with TAO.