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Cystatin C--a marker of peripheral atherosclerotic disease?

J Arpegård1, J Ostergren, U de Faire

  • 1Department of Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital-Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.

Atherosclerosis
|January 12, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Cystatin C may serve as an independent marker for atherosclerotic disease, distinct from its role in kidney function. Elevated Cystatin C levels were observed in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) compared to controls.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cardiovascular Disease Research
  • Nephrology

Background:

  • Cystatin C is recognized as a marker for glomerular filtration rate.
  • Emerging evidence suggests Cystatin C may also indicate cardiovascular disease risk.
  • Previous studies on Cystatin C as a cardiovascular marker are limited and inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate Cystatin C as an independent marker of peripheral atherosclerotic disease.
  • To assess the relationship between Cystatin C levels and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Main Methods:

  • Serum Cystatin C, IL-6, CRP, and creatinine levels were measured in 103 males with PAD and 96 controls.
  • Creatinine clearance (CCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were calculated.
  • Statistical analyses, including analysis of covariance, were performed to adjust for confounding factors.

Main Results:

  • Serum Cystatin C was significantly higher in PAD patients (1.09 mg/L) than in controls (0.95 mg/L).
  • No significant differences in CCr or eGFR were found between groups.
  • Cystatin C levels correlated with CCr, IL-6, and CRP in both PAD patients and controls.
  • Adjusted for eGFR, Cystatin C remained significantly higher in PAD patients.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated Cystatin C levels in PAD patients suggest its potential role as an independent marker of atherosclerotic disease.
  • This association appears independent of kidney function, as indicated by eGFR and CCr.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise role of Cystatin C in cardiovascular pathophysiology.
Abstract

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