Cystatin C: An Improved Estimator of Glomerular Filtration Rate?

BACKGROUND: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is routinely assessed by measuring the concentrations of endogenous serum markers such as blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine (SCr). Although widely used, these endogenous markers are not ideal and do not perform optimally in certain clinical settings. The purpose of this review is to critically review the potential utility of cystatin C (CysC), especially in patient populations in which CysC may have an advantage over routinely used endogenous markers of GFR. APPROACH: In a narrative approach, we extensively review publications, primarily from the last 5 years, that address the development of methods to measure CysC, reference intervals, and the diagnostic…