OBJECTIVETo study the changes of serum leptin (LEP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children with congenital heart disease(CHD) and their roles in CHD.

METHODSForty-eight children with acyanotic CHD (ACHD group), 20 age-matched children with cyanotic CHD (CCHD group) and 20 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. The ACHD group was subdivided into two groups with (n=20) or without concurrent heart failure (n=28). Serum LEP, VEGF, total protein and albumin levels and body mass index (BMI) were measured.

RESULTSSerum total protein and albumin levels were not apparently different in all CHD children from healthy controls, but there was a significant difference in the BMI between them (p<0.01). Serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in all CHD children were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (p<0.01). Compared with the ACHD group without heart failure, the serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in the CCHD and the ACHD with heart failure groups increased significantly (p<0.01). In the ACHD group, serum LEP level was positively correlated with BMI (p<0.01). In the CCHD group, there were positive correlations between serum LEP level and serum VEGF level (p<0.01) and between hemoglobin concentration and serum VEGF level (p<0.01). Arterial oxygen saturation was negatively correlated with serum VEGF (p<0.01) and LEP levels (p<0.01) in the CCHD group.

CONCLUSIONSBoth VEGF and LEP play roles in the pathophisiological process of CHD. VEGF and LEP are associated with the development of heart failure in children with ACHD.