The early diagnostic value of serum homocysteic acid and cystatin C in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Objective To evaluate the early clinical value of serum homocysteic acid(Hcy) and cystatin C(CysC) in patients with diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods Eighty-eight patients with DM were divided into two groups according to urinary albumin exeretion rate(UAER),these were DM groups(36 cases,UAER20 μg/min)and DN groups(52 cases,UAER 20-200 μg/min).Serum Hcy,CysC,Cre,Bun were detected and parallelly contrasted between DN groups,DM groups and control group with fourty healthy people.Results The serum Hcy,CysC levels in DN groups and DM groups were obviously higher than those in health controls,the difference among them was significant(P0.05).In DN groups,the levels of the serum Hcy,CysC were also higher than those in DM groups(P0.05).However,the differences of the Cre,Bun levels among DN groups,DM groups and health groups were not significant(P0.05).The positive rates in DN groups in turn were respectively CysC(65.4%),Hcy(50%),Cre(26.9%),Bun(23.1%).Conclusion The serum Hcy and CysC are more sensitive and specific markers for glomerular filtration rate(GFR).The serum Hcy and CysC are superior to serum creatinine(Cre) and blood BUN nitrogen(Bun) as predictive markers of renal impairment in an early stage.