Cystatin C: a strong marker for lower limb ischemia in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients?

Cystatin C is growing to be an ideal indicator for renal function and cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum cystatin C levels and peripheral arterial disease and to explore its diagnostic value for lower limb ischemia (LLI) in type 2 diabetic population.

A total of 1609 T2DM patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Their clinical and biochemical characteristics, ankle-brachial index (ABI), carotid and lower extremity arterial ultrasound were detected. LLI was defined by ABI <0.9 and lower extremity arterial stenosis >50% by ultrasound examination. Patients were divided to two groups: with LLI and without. The risk factors of LLI were explored by binary logistic regression analysis.

The serum concentrations of cystatin C were 1.53±0.60 and 1.08±0.30 mg/L in patients with and without LLI, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the significant risk factors were cystatin C (P = 0.007, OR = 5.081), the presence of hypertension (P = 0.011, OR = 3.527), age (P<0.001, OR = 1.181), GA (P = 0.002, OR = 1.089) and diabetes duration (P = 0.008, OR = 1.074). The prevalence of coronary artery disease, cerebral infarction and LLI increased with cystatin C (P<0.01), and the prevalence of LLI in patients with cystatin C >1.2 mg/L was much higher than other three quartile groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed the cut point of cystatin C for LLI was 1.2 mg/L. The risk of LLI dramatically increased in patients with cystatin C >1.2 mg/L (OR = 21.793, 95% confidence interval 10.046-47.280, P<0.001). After adjusting for sex, age, duration, HbA1c, GA and hypertension, its OR still remained 3.395 (95% confidence interval 1.335-8.634).

There was a strong and independent association between cystatin C and limb arterial disease in diabetic population, and cystatin C >1.2 mg/L indicated a great increased risk of LLI.