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Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Elevated serum cystatin C is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events in people with relatively normal renal
Lei Meng1, Ying Yang, Li-Tong Qi
1Department of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
Insights
Serum cystatin C levels predict cardiovascular events in individuals with normal kidney function. Higher cystatin C indicates increased cardiovascular risk, even without significant kidney impairment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Nephrology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Serum cystatin C predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease patients.
- Limited data exists on cystatin C's predictive value for cardiovascular events in individuals with normal renal function, particularly in Asian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between serum cystatin C levels and cardiovascular events.
- To assess cystatin C as a predictor of cardiovascular events in a community-based Asian population with normal renal function.
Main Methods:
- Study included 724 residents in Beijing with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2.
- Analysis of risk factors for cardiovascular events, including serum cystatin C, age, sex, diabetes, smoking, HDL-C, and eGFR.
Main Results:
- Individuals with cardiovascular events were older, more likely male, had higher rates of diabetes and smoking, and lower HDL-C and eGFR.
- Serum cystatin C levels were significantly higher in subjects who experienced cardiovascular events (p<0.01).
- Multivariable analysis identified age, hypertension, and serum cystatin C (>0.88 mg/L) as independent predictors of cardiovascular events.
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum cystatin C is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events.
- This association holds true even in individuals with relatively normal renal function.
- Cystatin C may serve as a valuable biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification beyond traditional factors.
Background:
Serum level of cystatin C could predict morbidity and mortality for cardiovascular disease in patients with coronary heart disease. However, the predictive value of cystatin C for cardiovascular events in subjects with relatively normal renal function, especially in Asian populations, has rarely been investigated. The current study investigated the relationship between cystatin C and cardiovascular events in a community-based population in Beijing.
Methods:
Residents (n=724) with relatively normal renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] =60 ml/min per 1.73 m2), who attended a community hospital in an urban district of Beijing, were recruited in the study. Risk factors for cardiovascular events were analyzed.
Results:
Compared with subjects without cardiovascular events, those with cardiovascular events were older (p<0.000001) and had a higher proportion of males (p<0.01), those with diabetes (p<0.05) and smokers (p<0.05). Subjects with cardiovascular events had lower levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and eGFR than those without (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). The serum level of cystatin C was significantly higher in subjects with cardiovascular events than in subjects without cardiovascular events (p<0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the independent predictors of cardiovascular events were age, hypertension and serum level of cystatin C (higher than 0.88 mg/L).
Conclusions:
Besides the traditional risk factors, a higher level of serum cystatin C might be another independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, even in those with relatively normal renal function.
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