Vascular endothelial growth factor in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in correlations with disease activity and Nailfold Capillaroscopic changes

Abstract

SLE is an auto-immune disease, associated with a wide variety of auto-antibodies, immune complexes production and cellular damage, with the primary site represented by vascular endothelial cell injury. Immune mediate vascular damage and the consecutive angiogenesis represent major pathogenic factors, with an essentially mark on multi-systemic organ involvement. The present study was done to measure the serum VEGF level and its inter-relation with microvascular damage, assessed by NFC, and to establish the possible relationship with SLE activity.