VEGFA and rheumatoid arthritis: However, when the total cohort of RA patients was subdivided into those with MDA and HDA, significant correlations were observed between VEGF and the Th1/Th2/macrophage/fibroblast cytokines, as well as with RF, aCCP, and aMCV in the HDA group, substantiating the role of VEGF as a predictor of severity of disease in our cohort.