Clinical utility of serum cystatin C in predicting coronary artery disease in patients without chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Cystatin C has been proposed as a novel marker of renal function and predictor of cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cystatin C level as a predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS Three hundred and five coronary artery patients were included in this study. Serum cystatin C levels, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and oxidative stress were measured. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the CAD severity score were calculated. RESULTS Cystatin C was correlated with the CAD severity score (r = 0.631, P < 0.0001) and was significantly elevated in the CAD severity score >50. Every 0.1 mg/l increase in cystatin C, 2 mg/l increase in hs-CRP, 0.2 mmol/l decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 13.7 ml/min decrease in eGFR, and 1.51 μmol/l increase in homocysteine caused a 34, 12, 5, and 22% increase in the risk of having CAD, respectively. CONCLUSION Cystatin C could be a useful laboratory biochemical marker in predicting the severity of CAD. Cystatin C is associated with biochemical atherosclerosis markers such as CRP and homocysteine.