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Impact of asthmatic control status on serum cystatin C concentrations
Masahiko Shigemura1, Satoshi Konno, Yasuyuki Nasuhara
1First Department of Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Background:
To determine whether cystatin C accurately reflects renal function in asthma, we investigated serum cystatin C concentrations in a large number of asthmatic patients by adjusting for several confounding factors that might affect serum cystatin C concentrations.
Methods:
A total of 126 asthmatic patients and 126 healthy volunteers, matched for age and gender, were studied.
Results:
Serum cystatin C concentrations in symptomatic subjects with asthma were significantly higher than in healthy controls (p < 0.001) and asymptomatic subjects with asthma (p = 0.007), whereas no significant difference was observed between healthy controls and asymptomatic subjects. In asthmatic subjects, serum cystatin C concentrations were not influenced by inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). However, serum cystatin C concentrations were significantly higher in subjects who were regularly treated by oral corticosteroid (OCS) (p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Serum cystatin C concentrations are elevated in asthmatic patients; particularly while symptomatic and/or taking OCS but not ICS. Serum cystatin C concentrations may not accurately reflect renal function in those patients.
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