Serum cystatin C concentration as an independent marker for hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy.
BACKGROUND
Serum cystatin C levels can be used to predict morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the clinical relevance of serum cystatin C levels in patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has rarely been investigated. We designed the present study to investigate whether serum cystatin C levels are associated with cardiac structural and functional alterations in hypertensive patients.


METHODS
We enrolled 823 hypertensive patients and classified them into two groups: those with LVH (n = 287) and those without LVH (n = 536). All patients underwent echocardiography and serum cystatin C testing. We analyzed the relationship between serum cystatin C levels and LVH.


RESULTS
Serum cystatin C levels were higher in hypertensive patients with LVH than in those without LVH (P < 0.05). Using linear correlation analysis, we found a positive correlation between serum cystatin C levels and interventricular septal thickness (r = 0.247, P < 0.01), posterior wall thickness (r = 0.216, P < 0.01), and left ventricular weight index (r = 0.347, P < 0.01). When analyzed by multiple linear regression, the positive correlations remained between serum cystatin C and interventricular septal thickness (β = 0.167, P < 0.05), posterior wall thickness (β = 0.187, P < 0.05), and left ventricular weight index (β = 0.245, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSION
Serum cystatin C concentration is an independent marker for hypertensive LVH.
['Li|Xin|X|', 'Zhu|Hang|H|', 'Li|Peng|P|', 'Xin|Qian|Q|', 'Liu|Jie|J|', 'Zhang|Wei|W|', 'Xing|You-Hong|YH|', 'Xue|Hao|H|']
Cystatin C Hypertension Left ventricular hypertrophy