Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40075026›Full record

SynthesisClinical and experimental medicine2025

VEGF-A in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analytical approach to its prognostic value.

Seyed Sobhan Bahreiny, Mohammad-Navid Bastani, Hossein Keyvani, Reza Mohammadpour Fard, Mojtaba Aghaei, Zahra Mansouri, Negin Karamali, Tannaz Sakhavarz, Mahdi Amraei, Elnaz Harooni

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical and experimental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Persistent CD4Cellular immunology · 2026
    Article
  2. COVID-19, the disease that changed the world.Medicine and pharmacy reports · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Seyed Sobhan BahreinyPhysiology Department, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2148-1205
Mohammad-Navid BastaniStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Navid.Bastani2@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4858-8723
Hossein KeyvaniDepartment of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6528-7861
Reza Mohammadpour FardStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-3588-1633
Mojtaba AghaeiStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6382-6657
Zahra MansouriStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5861-7228
Negin KaramaliDepartment of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3753-4260
Tannaz SakhavarzInstitute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4107-7640
Mahdi AmraeiStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9693-4673
Elnaz HarooniStudent Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0775-7933

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) has a significant impact on the pathophysiology of COVID-19. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the prognostic value of increased levels of VEGF-A in individuals with COVID-19. A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar, up to January 2024. Studies examining the levels of VEGF-A in the serum or plasma of COVID-19 patients were incorporated, with specific attention given to contrasting severe/critical cases against moderate cases. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model to determine overall effect sizes. Meta-regressions and subgroup analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis synthesized data from 11 studies involving a total of 1119 COVID-19 patients. Elevated levels of VEGF-A were significantly associated with disease severity, with a pooled SMD of 0.525 (95% CI 0.239-0.058; P = 0.028). Research has indicated that the nature of the relationship differs among various age groups, and there were minor discrepancies in the techniques employed to obtain VEGF-A measurements. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis indicated a potential correlation between VEGF-A levels and assay technique and body mass index (BMI). This meta-analysis provides compelling evidence for the prognostic potency of VEGF-A in COVID-19. Understanding the intricate interplay between VEGF-A and COVID-19 pathophysiology holds promise for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies and prognostic indicators in the management of COVID-19.

Indexed as

COVID-19Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ABiomarkersHumansPrognosisSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness IndexBiomarkersVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVEGFA protein, humanCOVI-19Endothelial dysfunction SARS-CoV-2Vascular endothelial growth factorVEGF-A

Identifiers

PMID40075026
PMCPMC11903599

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.