Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Genetic Variant is Associated with In-Stent Restenosis after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is an inevitable complication of percutaneous coronary intervention, with genetic factors thought to play a role in its pathogenesis. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene can have an inhibitory effect on ISR development. Accordingly, in the present study, we investigated the role of -2549 VEGF (insertion/deletion [I/D]) variants in ISR formation.

Methods: Patients with ISR (ISR+) (n=53) and patients without ISR (ISR-) (n=67) were enrolled in this case-control study based on follow-up angiography 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention between 2019 and 2020. The clinical characteristics of the patients were evaluated, and the frequencies of the alleles and genotypes of -2549 VEGF (I/D) variants were determined using polymerase chain reaction. The χ2 test was performed for the calculation of genotypes and alleles. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered the level of significance.

Results: This study recruited 120 individuals at a mean age of 61.43±8.91 years in the ISR+ group and 62.09±7.94 years in the ISR- group. Women and men, respectively, comprised 26.4% and 73.6% of the ISR+ group and 43.3% and 56.7% of the ISR- group. A significant association was observed between the VEGF -2549 genotype frequency and ISR. The frequency of the insertion/insertion (I/I) allele was significantly higher in the ISR+ group than in the ISR- group, while the frequency of the D/D allele was higher in the latter group.

Conclusion: Regarding ISR development, the I/I allele may be a risk allele and the D/D allele a protective allele.