Compared with healthy subjects, circulating VEGF levels were significantly higher in patients with SLE (SMD 0.84, 95% CI 0.25–1.44, P = 0.0056), RA (SMD 1.48, 95% CI 0.82–2.15, P <0.0001), SSc (SMD 0.56, 95% CI 0.36–0.75, P <0.0001), Behcet’s disease (SMD 1.65, 95% CI 0.88–2.41, P <0.0001), Kawasaki disease (SMD 2.41, 95% CI 0.10–4.72, P = 0.0406), ankylosing spondylitis (SMD 0.78, 95% CI 0.23–1.33, P = 0.0052), inflammatory bowel disease (SMD 0.57, 95% CI 0.43–0.71, P <0.0001), psoriasis (SMD 0.98, 95% CI 0.62–1.34, P <0.0001), and Graves’ disease (SMD 0.69, 95% CI 0.20–1.19, P = 0.0056). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is ankylosing spondylitis.