Evaluation Of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Levels In Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease As A Complication Of Hypothyroidism In Iraqi Patients

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor, also identified as vascular permeability factor, is a powerful vascular permeability factor with strong mitogenic properties for endothelial cells. It acts as the most powerful angiogenesis factor . The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2) in hypothyroidism patients with and without fatty liver disease and compare the results to a healthy controls.   In addition to examining the association between VEGF-R2 and anthropometric and clinical features such as age, gender, BMI, and duration of hypothyroidism, serum thyroid hormones such as T3, TT4, and TSH, lipid profiles such as serum cholesterol, TG, and HDL, liver enzymes such as GOT , GPT and ALP, kidney function tests such as blood urea and serum creatinine, glycemic parameters such as FBG and HbA1c levels, Serum Hematological Parameters (PCV, MCV and WBC) and Serum Protein  Parameters  (Total Protein, serum albumin and serum Ferritin) levels. 

Ninety people took part in the study and were divided into three groups: G1: Patients who have hypothyroidism and fatty liver disease, G2: Patients who do not have hypothyroidism and fatty liver disease, and G3: Healthy control groups. The Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Baghdad was used to select all study cases. The age ranges of G1 ,G2 and G3 were(3264), (23-67) and (24-40) years respectively. The results showed that the mean serum VEGF-R2 levels in G1 (471.340126.522 pg/ml) and G2 (438.11378.962 pg/ml) were significantly higher (P=0.0001) than the mean serum VEGF-R2 levels in G3 (275.59071.220 pg/ml), while the mean serum VEGF-R2 levels in G1 (471.340126.522 pg/ml) The Receiving Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves analysis for serum VEGF-R2 levels was used as a test to divide subjects into cases and controls, and to determine the "cut-off value" which of optimum sensitivity and specificity to diagnose disease.