Prognostic value of serum cystatin C in patients with sepsis.

BACKGROUND

Early identification and diagnosis of sepsis are very important because timely and appropriate treatment can improve the survival outcomes.

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical significance of serum cystatin C level in sepsis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The levels of serum cystatin C, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with sepsis were followed up for 30 days to record their survival conditions.

RESULTS

The expression level of cystatin C was remarkably elevated in patients with sepsis compared with that in healthy controls. The serum cystatin C level was significantly correlated with the SOFA score and CRP, PCT, and creatinine levels in patients with sepsis. The patients in death group had a markedly higher level of serum cystatin C than those in survival group. The area under curve (AUC) of cystatin C for assessing the 30-day mortality rate of sepsis patients was 0.765.

CONCLUSION

The serum cystatin C level is elevated in patients with sepsis and it may serve as a biomarker for early diagnosis of sepsis and possess promising effects in assessing the severity of sepsis and the prognosis of patients.