title: Serum cystatin C levels are associated with coronary artery disease and its severity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum cystatin C has been established as a predictor of cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of cystatin C in determining the presence and the severity of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 936 subjects without overt renal disease were included in this cross-sectional study. Among them were 714 patients with CAD and 222 without based on coronary angiography. Subjects were further divided into four groups according to cystatin C quartile. Serum cystatin C was measured using particle-enhanced immunoassay method. The study analyzed the relationship of cystatin C levels with the presence and severity of CAD, including the number of stenotic vessels involved and Gensini score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum cystatin C levels were significantly higher in patients with CAD than those without (P<0.001), and significantly increased as the involvement of coronary vessels increased (P<0.001). The prevalence of CAD and its severity assessed by Gensini score were also significantly greater in the highest quartile of cystatin C (P<0.001). Moreover, cystatin C levels were independently correlated with the presence of CAD in a multivariate logistic regression model (P=0.023) and were positively correlated with Gensini score by linear regression analysis (standardized β=0.083, P=0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum cystatin C levels were significantly associated with the presence and severity of CAD in patients with normal renal function. It is suggested that cystatin C might play a role in CAD diagnosis and serve as a marker of CAD severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Gan-nan
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: De-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong-hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China. Electronic address: wanggnhua@163.com.
authors.forename: Jin-song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D055316:Cystatin C
keywords: Coronary artery disease; Cystatin C; Gensini score; Glomerular filtration rate