Cystatin C and renal function in pediatric kidney transplant recipients

Braz J Med Biol Res. 2009 Dec;42(12):1225-9. doi: 10.1590/s0100-879x2009001200017. Epub 2009 Oct 30.

Abstract

In clinical practice, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is often determined with serum creatinine. However, studies have shown cystatin C to be a better parameter for the diagnosis of impaired renal function. We compared GFR estimated by plasma cystatin C with GFR estimated by serum creatinine in a sample of 50 pediatric renal transplant recipients and 24 healthy children. The correlation between GFR estimated by serum creatinine and by cystatin C was significant (r = 0.75; P < 0.001, Person's correlation); however, in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, the GFR was 6.7 mL/min lower when determined using cystatin C rather than serum creatinine. Moreover, using GFR estimated by cystatin C we found that 42% of the pediatric kidney transplant recipients had an estimated GFR <60 mL.min-1.1.73 (m(2))-1, whereas when GFR was estimated by the serum creatinine formula only 16% of the children had values below this cutoff point indicative of chronic kidney disease (P < 0.001). We conclude that, in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, estimation of GFR yields lower values when cystatin C is used rather than serum creatinine.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Creatinine / blood*
  • Cystatin C / blood*
  • Female
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / physiology*
  • Male

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cystatin C
  • Creatinine