1. ASSOCIATION OF CIRCULATING SERUM LEVELS OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR-A WITH VASCULAR ULTRASOUND DETERMINANTS OF DEMENTIA IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY Grigorios G. Dimas 1, Thomas J. Tegos 2, Galaktion N. Konstantinidis 1, Fotios S. Iliadis 1, Ilias E. Kanellos 1, Sofia G. Spiroglou 3, Spiros D. Fotiadis 1, Ioannis M. Karamouzis 1, Christos G Savopoulos 1, Apostolos I. Hatzitolios 1, Dimitrios M. Grekas 1. 1 1 st Propaedeutic Medical Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece 2 1 st Neurology Medical Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece 3 Biochemistry Laboratory, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

2. Background It remains controversial the mechanism by which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) works in the kidney, as well as in the vessels at least in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). VEGF-A may play a role in the pathophysiology of Vascular Dementia (VD). VEGF-A is elevated in postmortem brain tissue of VD patients.

3. Aim The aim of the present study was to determine the serum levels of VEGF-A and to investigate their potential correlation with the atherosclerotic markers and albuminuria and VD in hypertensive patients with early stages of type 2 DN.

4. Methods CKD patients of stages 1 and 2 with type II DN (n=40) were included. As controls, there were healthy individuals (n=40). VEGF-A levels were measured by an ELISA method. Intima media thickness of carotid and femoral arteries and atheromatic plaque were evaluated by a high resolution ultrasonography. Each artery was assigned a score (atherosclerotic ultrasonic score – ATHUS). Subsequently, the mini-mental score examination (MMSE) of every patient was evaluated.

5. Results There was a notable difference between VEGF-A levels in each of the groups. There was a statistically significant correlation between levels of VEGF-A and albuminuria (p<0.0001). Further, VEGF-A levels were independently correlated with IMT and atheromatic plaque (p<0.0001) and MMSE score in DN patients.

6. Conclusion Our study suggests that serum levels of VEGF-A might present independent risk factors of atherosclerosis, albuminuria and vascular dementia in patients with early stages of type II DN to the progression of CKD.