Cystatin C: Renal function and cardiovascular risk

Abstract

Cystatin C is a novel serum marker of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a critical measure of normal kidney function. Unlike serum creatinine, cystatin C concentrations are independent of gender, age and muscle mass. As cystatin C shown no tubular secretion, it is a much earlier indicator of decreased GFR and allows the detection of mild reductions in GFR, which are not detected by creatinine. Cystatin C has been shown to be associated with future cardiovascular disease and deaths in a dose-dependent relationship that possibly reflects a very early stage of chronic ranal dysfunction. In addition, 'sub-clinically' elevated cystatin C concentrations in individuals without chronic kidney disease indicated by creatinine are an independent predictor of progression to chronic kidney disease, heart failure and all-cause mortality.

Keywords

• cystatin c
• gfr
• chronic kidney disease
• cardiovascular risk