Evaluation of Serum Cystatin C for Diagnosis of Acute Rejection after Renal Transplantation

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of serum cystatin C (ScysC) for the diagnosis of an acute rejection episode after renal transplantation.MethodsThe 76 recruited renal transplant patients included 43 without and 33 with an acute rejection episode. We determined the values of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), β2 microglobulin (β2-MG), uric acid (UA), and ScysC before surgery and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 30, and 90 days thereafter. The glomerular filteration rate (GFR) was measured by 99mTc-DTPA to evaluate correlations.ResultsNo significant difference was observed between the groups before surgery (P > .05). In the rejection-free group ScysC was decreased by 48.1% at 1/day after surgery which was greater than the other cohorts. In the rejection group at day 3 the ScysC increased which was earlier than others. The highest coefficient correlation was observed between ScysC and GFR. The AUCROC of ScysC was greater than all of the others.ConclusionScysC was a more sensitive marker to detect changes in renal function than Scr, BUN, β2-MG or UA; therefore it can be used to predict an acute rejection episode after transplantation.