Elevated VEGF levels contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis

Table 1 Main characteristics and methodological quality of all eligible studies

First author	Year	Country	Language	Ethnicity	Gender (M/F)		Age (years)		Method	Protein	Sample source	NOS score
First author	Year	Country	Language	Ethnicity	Case	Control	Case	Control	Method	Protein	Sample source	NOS score
Saetan et al.[18]	2013	Thailand	English	Asians	17/63	5/15	69.8 ± 0.9	68.2 ± 1.1	ELISA	VEGF	Plasma	7
Zhu et al.[26]	2012	China	Chinese	Asians	8/10	6/4	65	22	ELISA	VEGF	Synovial fluid	6
Duan et al.[24]	2011	China	English	Asians	8/22	6/4	62 (50 ~ 76)	32	ELISA	VEGF	Synovial tissue	6
Huh et al.[28]	2010	Korea	English	Asians	-	-	74.0 ± 9.0	61.5 ± 15.6	ELISA	VEGF	Cartilaginous tissue	5
Chen et al.[23]	2009	China	Chinese	Asians	11/19	7/1	(52 ~ 75)	(21 ~ 43)	ELISA	VEGF	Synovial tissue	6
Su et al.[25]	2008	China	Chinese	Asians	8/12	7/3	60	45	ELISA	VEGF	Cartilaginous tissue	6
Fay et al.[3]	2006	Germany	English	Caucasians	-	-	-	-	ELISA	VEGF	Synovial fluid	5
Enomoto et al.[27]	2003	Japan	English	Asians	-	-	72.0 ± 8.0	79.0 ± 9.0	ELISA	VEGF	Cartilaginous tissue	5
Pfander et al.[30]	2001	Germany	English	Caucasians	-	-	-	-	ELISA	VEGF	Cartilaginous tissue	5
Lee et al.[29]	2001	Korea	English	Asians	4/45	-	59.6 ± 1.1	-	ELISA	VEGF	Plasma	5
Ballara et al.[19]	2001	Germany	English	Caucasians	15/17	11/20	55 (50 ~ 65)	49 (38 ~ 55)	ELISA	VEGF	Plasma	6

M: male; F: female; NOSF: Newcastle-Ottawa Scale; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

ISSN: 1471-2474