title: Serum Cystatin C Levels are Positively Associated with Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have reported that cystatin C is associated with degenerative disorder in the nervous system. However, the relationship between serum cystatin C concentrations and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in patients with type 2 diabetes is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between serum cystatin C levels and CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 357 patients with type 2 diabetes were studied in this cross-sectional study. CAN was diagnosed by a cardiovascular autonomic reflex test. According to the American Diabetes Association criteria, the degree of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction was graded as normal, early, definite, or severe. CAN was either definite or severe in the subjects of the present study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum cystatin C concentrations were significantly higher in patients with CAN than in those without CAN. The mean cystatin C levels differed significantly according to the degree of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction (normal, 0.78 mg/l; early, 0.79 mg/l; definite, 0.87 mg/l; severe, 0.90 mg/l; P for trend=0.021) after adjustment for other covariates. In multivariate analysis, serum cystatin C levels were significantly associated with CAN (odds ratio [OR] of each standard deviation increase in the logarithmic value, 5.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-23.70, P=0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum cystatin C levels are positively associated with CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: C525030:CST3 protein, human; D055316:Cystatin C