Imbalance of fetal growth factor levels in congenital heart disease pathology: a systematic review to investigate therapeutic potential

Abstract Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a factor that is responsible for cell proliferation, vascular endothelial cell growth, and angiogenesis. Changes in the level of this factor are associated with the pathology of structural disorders such as CHD. This systematic study assessed previous studies to determine the therapeutic potential of VEGF in congenital heart disorders. Method This systematic review was written based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, and the principle of nonbias was respected. All the articles from 2014–2024 were extracted from the Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases. We investigated the role of VEGF in the pathology of cardiovascular structural disorders, the therapeutic and diagnostic effects of VEGF and related factors that are influenced by this factor. Results The studies were assessed based on PRISMA search steps, and 22 were included in our study. Any disturbance in the production and function of VEGF is known as a genetic disorder in TOF. VEGF caused abnormal elongation of the heart tubes, as well as disproportionate growth of cardiovascular tissue just before full formation. An increase in HIF with increasing VEGF function precedes fetal heart development. HIF also mediates endothelial formation through eNOS. HIF in children with CCHD and ACHD was significantly greater than that in the control group, and its value was greater in complex CHD children than in the other groups. EGFR, iNOS and ET-1 were more abundant in ACHD than in ACHD, and their levels were positively correlated with HIF. Conclusion An increase in the levels of VEGF and HIF before the completion of CHD pathology is the main cause of CHD pathology, and after the completion of CHD pathology, these factors help in the regeneration of heart tissue. The regulation of VEGF and HIF levels during the fetal period is highly important for the diagnosis and treatment of CHD.