Objective To investigate the effects of serum epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels on fracture healing and bone metabolism in patients with traumatic fracture after surgery.

Methods A total of 158 patients with traumatic fracture were selected and divided into normal healing group (117 cases) and delayed healing group (41 cases) according to the healing of fracture end at 4 months after operation. The levels of serum EGF and VCAM-1 at 24 h after operation as well as bone mineral density and serum bone metabolic indexes bone gla protein (BGP), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), N-terminal procollagen type Ⅰ propeptide (PⅠNP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (TRACP-5B), type Ⅰ collage cross-linked-telopeptide (CTX) at 4 months after operation in two groups were compared. Pearson test was used to analyze the correlations of serum EGF and VCAM-1 levels with bone mineral density value and bone metabolism indexes levels in patients with traumatic fracture 24 h after operation.

Results At 24 h after operation, the serum EGF level of patients in the delayed healing group was significantly lower, and the serum VCAM-1 level was significantly higher than that in the normal healing group (P < 0.05). At 4 months after operation, the bone mineral density, BGP, BALP and PⅠNP levels in the delayed healing group were significantly lower, and TRACP-5B and CTX levels were significantly higher than those in the normal healing group (P < 0.05). The serum EGF level at 24 h after surgery was positively correlated with bone mineral density, serum BGP, BALP and PⅠNP levels at 4 months after surgery, and negatively correlated with TRACP-5B and CTX levels in patients with traumatic fracture (P < 0.05). The serum VCAM-1 level at 24 h after operation was negatively correlated with bone mineral density value, serum BGP, BALP and PⅠNP levels at 4 months after operation, and positively correlated with TRACP-5B and CTX levels (P < 0.05). Conclusion Abnormal high levels of serum EGF and VCAM-1 in the early postoperative period may indicate delayed bone healing and abnormal bone metabolism in patients with traumatic fracture.