title: Elevation of serum cystatin C concentrations in patients with chronic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined serum cystatin C concentrations in patients to explore the possible clinical application of cystatin C as a marker of disease severity in cases of chronic liver diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum cystatin C concentrations were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in 103 patients with various chronic liver diseases and compared with concentrations in healthy control volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean cystatin C concentration was 0.68 +/- 0.03 mg/l in chronic hepatitis patients, 1.13 +/- 0.09 mg/l in liver cirrhosis patients and 1.16 +/- 0.10 mg/l in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, all significantly higher than concentrations in the control volunteers (P < 0.0001). Significant correlations were observed between cystatin C concentrations and total bilirubin levels, albumin levels, platelet levels, type IV collagen levels and hyaluronic acid levels. Serum cystatin C concentrations correlated well with histological stages despite the lack of correlation with histological grades.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that serum cystatin C increases with the progression of chronic liver disease and that it is a potential marker for liver fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003094:Collagen / Q000097:blood; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C525030:CST3 protein, human; D055316:Cystatin C; D015891:Cystatins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D003094:Collagen; D001663:Bilirubin