Elevated plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 decrease during improvement of psoriasis

Objective and Design: An evaluation of angiogenesis related molecules during open treatment of psoriasis. Materials and Subjects: Plasma samples and skin biopsies from 16 patients with psoriasis and plasma samples from 13 healthy controls. Treatment: Ranitidine 300 mg orally twice daily for 6 months. Methods: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were determined by ELISA methods in plasma collected from the patients before treatment and after 1, 3 and 6 months. Vessel counts were performed in biopsies from affected skin areas taken before treatment and after 3 and 6 months. The results were compared to simultaneous PASI scores. Results: Pre-treatment plasma levels of VEGF and PAI-1 were significantly elevated in patients compared with levels in healthy persons (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). The plasma levels decreased significantly during treatment (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively), and the decrease in combined levels correlated with the decrease in PASI score. However, the vessel density in affected skin did not change during treatment. Conclusions: Increased pre-treatment levels of VEGF and PAI-1 and decrease during improvement of the disease suggest that the two molecules may play a role in pathogenesis of psoriasis.