Gender does not influence cystatin C concentrations in healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Current data are conflicting about the influence of gender on cystatin C concentrations. The goal of this study was to determine the reference interval for serum cystatin C in normal Brazilian subjects, taking into account the influence of gender.


METHODS
Ninety-seven healthy volunteers, aged 18-70 years, 44% male, had glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured using a (51)Cr-EDTA method and estimated with the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. Serum cystatin C was measured using a turbidimetric method, and creatinine by the Jaffe method.


RESULTS
Mean serum cystatin C was not significantly different between males and females, 0.62 +/- 0.12 vs. 0.65 +/- 0.12 mg/L, respectively (p = 0.26). However, median serum creatinine was significantly higher in men [97 (80-115) vs. 80 (53-88) micromol/L; p = 0.0001]. There were also no significant differences between genders with respect to GFR measured using (51)Cr-EDTA (103 +/- 14 for males and 106 +/- 19 mL/min/1.73 m(2) for females, p = 0.47), and estimated with the MDRD equation (86 +/- 12 vs. 83 +/- 16 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively, p = 0.24).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no effect of gender on serum cystatin C, as well as on measured and estimated GFR.
Weinert
Letícia Schwerz
LS
Endocrine Unit, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. leticiasweinert@yahoo.com.br
Prates
Aline Bodanese
AB
do Amaral
Fernando Barcellos
FB
Vaccaro
Marina Zerwes
MZ
Camargo
Joíza Lins
JL
Silveiro
Sandra Pinho
SP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D055316:Cystatin C; D004492:Edetic Acid; D003404:Creatinine