PECULIARITIES OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIUM STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH ULCEROUS COLITIS

Aim. To characterize the presence and expressiveness of endothelial dysfunction in patients with ulcerous colitis (UC), to assess the correlation between endothelial lesion and severity of inflammatory process in the bowel. Materials and methods. Ninety patients (48 men and 42 women, the mean age 35,49 ± 10,87 years) with UC in the exacerbation phase were examined. The control group involved 50 healthy subjects comparable by sex and age. Blood serum vasculoendothelial growth factor (VEGF) was studied as the endothelial lesion marker. To estimate the functional status of endothelium, endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDVD) was determined using finger photoplethysmography and the Software “Pulsware”. Results. The elevated blood serum VEGF level with the concentration median 256,65 (123,3; 375,8) pg/ml was assessed in UC patients that was three-fold higher than this index in the control group. In 95 % of UC patients there was observed disturbance of EDVD with the share of patients with significant decrease in PEF 76 %. Reliable correlation between endothelial dysfunction indices and degree of severity, UC localization as well as clinical and endoscopic activity of the process was revealed. Conclusions. Endothelial dysfunction manifested by elevation of blood serum VEGF level and fall in EDVD was detected in UC patients. The revealed disturbances confirm the hypothesis on participation of endothelial dysfunction in pathogenesis of ulcerous colitis.

Endothelial dysfunction, ulcerous colitis, vasculoendothelial growth factor, endothelium-dependent vasodilation, pulse wave