title: Quantitative automated particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay for the routinary measurement of human cystatin C.
abstract: Human cystatin C is a low molecular mass protein of 13359 Dalton recently proposed as a new very sensitive marker of changes in glomerular filtration rate. Serum cystatin C concentration correlates negatively with glomerular filtration rate as well as or better than creatinine. We evaluated a recently introduced automated nephelometric immunoassay for cystatin C in serum or EDTA-plasma samples on the Behring Nephelometer System. The assay consists of incubating the 100-fold diluted sample for 6 minutes with latex particles covalently coated with anti-human cystatin C antibodies, and then quantifying the change of light-scatter produced. Method reproducibility is satisfactory, the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation ranging from 1.58% to 3.77% and from 5.6% to 11.47% respectively. Rheumatoid factor (< or = 1116 IU/ml), bilirubin (< or = 418 micrommol/l), triglycerides (10.47 mmol/), and haemoglobin (12 g/l) do not significantly interfere in the assay. No significant difference was found in cystatin C concentration between serum and EDTA-plasma samples. Cystatin C is stable in serum samples stored under different conditions up to one month. This method correlates well (mean difference=-0.536+/-0.307 mg/l) with another commercially available particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay. Cystatin C offers better clinical sensitivity than creatinine for discriminating patients with normal renal function and those with mild-to-moderate reduction in renal function. This method is suitable for routine cystatin C measurement, including emergencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University-Hospital of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mussap
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruzzante
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varagnolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plebani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: C525030:CST3 protein, human; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins; D003404:Creatinine