Sharma Nikhil, Khatib Mahalaqua Nazli, Roopashree R, Kaur Mandeep, Srivastava Manish, Barwal Amit, Siva Prasad G V, Rajput Pranchal, Syed Rukshar, Kundra Kamal, Mittal Vinamra, Shabil Muhammed, Kumar Amit, Cajla Pancham, Bushi Ganesh, Mehta Rachana, Khan Zaid, Satapathy Prakasini, Gaidhane Shilpa, Daniel Afukonyo Shidoiku, Sah Renu
Department of Pharmacy Practice, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Guwahati, 781101, India.
Division of Evidence Synthesis, Global Consortium of Public Health and Research, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education, Wardha, India.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2025 Jan 6;25(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s12872-024-04460-3.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent form of sustained cardiac arrhythmia, with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increasingly recognized for its potential role in the pathogenesis of AF through mechanisms involving atrial remodeling, inflammation, and fibrosis. This systematic review aims to synthesize available evidence on the association between VEGF and AF, exploring the implications of VEGF as a biomarker and therapeutic target.
We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until November 10 2024, selecting studies based on pre-defined criteria that involve adults with AF and measurements of VEGF levels. The selected studies included observational and experimental designs, excluding non-English and methodologically insufficient publications. Narrative synthesis was used for summarising the results.
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies show a general trend of elevated VEGF levels in AF patients compared to controls, with significant heterogeneity in findings across studies. VEGF subtypes such as VEGF-A and VEGF-D demonstrated stronger associations with AF risk compared to VEGF-C. These variations point to the complex role of VEGF in AF, influencing factors like angiogenesis, endothelial function, and inflammatory responses.
VEGF is potentially a significant contributor to AF pathophysiology, with its levels reflecting disease activity. The variability observed across studies suggests a need for standardized measurement approaches and further investigation into VEGF subtypes. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand the causal relationships and the potential of VEGF as a therapeutic target and biomarker in AF management.
Not applicable.
心房颤动（AF）是持续性心律失常最常见的形式，血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）因其通过心房重构、炎症和纤维化等机制在AF发病机制中的潜在作用而日益受到认可。本系统评价旨在综合关于VEGF与AF之间关联的现有证据，探讨VEGF作为生物标志物和治疗靶点的意义。
我们在PubMed、Embase和Web of Science上进行了全面检索，直至2024年11月10日，根据预定义标准选择涉及成年AF患者和VEGF水平测量的研究。所选研究包括观察性和实验性设计，排除非英文和方法学上不充分的出版物。采用叙述性综合法总结结果。
八项研究符合纳入标准。研究表明，与对照组相比，AF患者的VEGF水平总体呈升高趋势，各研究结果存在显著异质性。与VEGF-C相比，VEGF-A和VEGF-D等VEGF亚型与AF风险的关联更强。这些差异表明VEGF在AF中发挥着复杂的作用，影响着血管生成、内皮功能和炎症反应等因素。
VEGF可能是AF病理生理学的重要促成因素，其水平反映疾病活动。各研究中观察到的变异性表明需要标准化的测量方法，并进一步研究VEGF亚型。未来的研究应侧重于纵向研究，以更好地理解因果关系以及VEGF作为AF管理中的治疗靶点和生物标志物的潜力。
不适用。
