Background: Indicators for long-term monitor of the progress of hepatic diseases are of great clinical importance. Since elevated cathepsin was observed in liver diseases, the aim of this study is to investigate the involvement of cystatin C, a very potent inhibitor of cathepsin and a recently introduced marker for renal function, and to see the applicability of serum cystatin C being a convenient marker for the progression of liver diseases.
Methods: One hundred eighty consecutive patients with chronic liver disease of various severities and 45 healthy controls were recruited to determine their serum cystatin C concentrations by N Latex Cystatin C kit, as well as certain relevant clinical values, including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and AFP.
Results: Average serum cystatin C concentration of patients with hepatic diseases was significantly higher than that of control (0.0902+/-0.0025 mg/dl vs. 0.067+/-0.007 mg/dl; p<0.001), and a linear regression analysis has revealed a direct relation between cystatin C and the severity of liver diseases (Y=1.172+5.492X, R(2)=0.088, p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study suggested that cystatin C may be an applicable monitoring marker for monitoring liver functions and progression of liver fibrosis.