title: Correlation between serum cystatin C and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum cystatin C (s-CC), an endogenous marker of kidney function, has also been proposed as a cardiovascular risk marker. However, it is unknown whether it is a direct marker of atherosclerosis, independently of kidney function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to correlate s-CC with two surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study involving 103 middle-aged (57.49 ± 11.7 years) hypertensive outpatients, being 60 female (58.25%), most with preserved kidney function. S-CC was correlated with carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery (FMD), both assessed by ultrasound, as well as with measured creatinine clearance and established cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S-CC was neither significantly correlated with IMT (r = -0.024; p = 0.84) nor with FMD (r = -0.050 and p = 0.687) and no significant association was observed with conventional risk factors and inflammatory markers. In univariate analysis, s-CC was correlated with measured creatinine clearance (r = -0,498; p < 0,001), age (r = 0,408; p < 0,001), microalbuminuria (r = 0,291; p = 0,014), uric acid (r = 0,391; p < 0,001), ratio E/e' (r = 0,242; p = 0,049) and Framingham score (r = 0,359; p = 0,001). However, after multiple regression analysis, only the association with measured creatinine clearance remained significant (r = -0,491; p < 0,001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In middle-aged hypertensive outpatients, s-CC correlated with measured creatinine clearance, as expected, but no association was observed with markers of atherosclerosis neither with established cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. francchagas@cardiol.br
authors.forename: Francisco das Chagas
authors.initials: Fd
authors.lastname: Monteiro Junior
authors.forename: Pedro Antônio Muniz
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: José Aldemir Teixeira
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Cacionor Pereira da
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Cunha Júnior
authors.forename: Ronald Lopes
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: João Henrique Almeida
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: José Ribamar Oliveira
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Joyce Santos
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lages
authors.forename: Natalino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salgado Filho
authors.forename: Valter Correia de
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055316:Cystatin C; D003404:Creatinine