Purpose: Chronic kidney disease and metabolic syndrome are recognized as major cardiovascular risk factors. It has been shown that cystatin C has a stronger association with mortality risk than creatinine-based estimations of glomerular filtration rate. We measured cystatin values in dyslipidemic patients and looked for correlations between renal function, cystatin, and metabolic syndrome.
Methods: There were 925 dyslipidemic patients prospectively included in this cross-sectional study and evaluated over 10 months. Each visit included clinical and biological assessment.
Results: Most patients exhibited cardiovascular risk factors other than dyslipidemia: hypertension in 34%, diabetes in 11%, and smoking in 18%. Mean triglycerides were 149 +/- 136 mg/dL, mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 54 +/- 14 mg/dL, and low-density lipoprotein 167 +/- 48 mg/dL. Metabolic syndrome was present in 238 (26%) patients. Plasma creatinine did not differ between control group and metabolic syndrome patients (80 +/- 26 vs 82 +/- 20 micromol/L, respectively, P = .2), but creatinine clearance evaluated by abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study formula was lower in the metabolic syndrome group than in the non-metabolic-syndrome group (83.3 +/- 18.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2) vs 86.8+/-16.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively, P < .007). Cystatin value was significantly higher in metabolic syndrome patients than in others (0.86 +/- 0.23 vs 0.79 +/- 0.20 mg/L, respectively, P < .0001), independently of serum creatinine level and creatinine clearance. Furthermore, there was a progressive increase in cystatin, as a function of the number of metabolic syndrome components.
Conclusions: Our study shows that cystatin is associated with metabolic syndrome in dyslipidemic patients. Cystatin may be an interesting marker of metabolic syndrome and of increased cardiovascular and renal risk.