Hofmanis, JurisTretjakovs, PeterisSvirskis, SimonsGersone, GitaHofmane, DaceRozenberga, UllaBlumfelds, LeonsBahs, GuntisLejnieks, AivarsMackevics, Vitolds2022-01-242022-01-242021-01Hofmanis , J , Tretjakovs , P , Svirskis , S , Gersone , G , Hofmane , D , Rozenberga , U , Blumfelds , L , Bahs , G , Lejnieks , A & Mackevics , V 2021 , ' Prognostic utility of circulating growth factors in aortic valve stenosis : A pilot study ' , Medicina (Lithuania) , vol. 57 , no. 1 , 78 , pp. 1-13 . https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina570100781010-660XPURE: 24546892PURE UUID: 412a110c-aa07-47be-82e9-fc5a54e920e4Scopus: 85099558817PubMed: 33477548https://dspace.rsu.lv/jspui/handle/123456789/7261Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background and Objectives: Aortic valve stenosis (AS) develops with a pronounced local inflammatory response, where a variety of growth factors are involved in the process, and may have a pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effect. The aim of our study was to elucidate whether circulating growth factors: growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) could be proposed as clinically relevant biomarkers to improve risk stratification in AS patients. Materials and Methods: AS patients were classified into three groups: 16 patients with mild AS stenosis; 19 with moderate and 11 with severe AS, and 30 subjects without AS (echocardiographically approved) were selected as a control group. GDF-15, Ang-2, VEGF-A, FGF-2, and FGF-21 were measured in plasma by the ELISA method. Results: GDF-15 levels differed significantly not only when comparing AS patients with control groups (p < 0.0001), but also a statistically significant difference was achieved when comparing AS patients at a mild degree stage with control individuals. We found a strong relationship of GDF-15 levels regarding AS severity degree (p < 0.0001). VEGF-A, FGF-2 and FGF-21 levels were significantly higher in AS patients than in controls, but relationships regarding the AS severity degree were weaker (p < 0.02). ROC analysis of the study growth factors showed that GDF-15 might serve as a specific and sensitive biomarker of AS stenosis (AUC = 0.75, p = 0.0002). FGF-21 correlated with GDF-15, Ang-2, and FGF-2, but it did not reach the level to serve as a clinically relevant biomarker of AS stenosis. Conclusions: AS is associated with significantly increased GDF-15, VEGF-A, FGF-2, and FGF-21 levels in plasma, but only GDF-15 shows a pronounced relationship regarding AS severity degree, and GDF-15 might serve as a specific and sensitive biomarker of AS stenosis.enginfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAngiopoietin-2Aortic valve stenosisFibroblast growth factor 2Fibroblast growth factor-21Growth differentiation factor 15Vascular endothelial growth factor A3.1 Basic medicine3.2 Clinical medicine1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus databaseMedicine(all)/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/researchoutputtypes/contributiontojournal/articlehttps://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57010078http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099558817&partnerID=8YFLogxK