ABSTRACT
To evaluate serum level of cystatin C, as early predictor for renal dysfunction in pregnant women developing preeclampsia, and to compare it as a new marker for preeclampsia with the use of serum creatinine or urate for the same diagnostic purpose. One hundred fifteen pregnant women were followed from the 12[th] week of pregnancy to full term. From whom, we got only ten preeclamptic women, and randomly eighteen normal pregnant women as a control group. Serum creatinine, urate and cystatin C were measured. Serum cystatin C, creatinine and urate were significantly increasing progressively in the 20[th] 28[th] and 36[th] weeks samples compared to the 12[th] weeks samples of the preeclamptic group only. The area under curve [AUC] in ROC analysis of cystatin C [0.76,0.79, and 0.95] was significantly greater than that of urate [0.62,0.67 and 0.76] and creatinine [0.43,0.38and 0.63]. Serum cystatin C was an early predictive marker for renal dysfunction in pregnant women developing preeclampsia, better than urate and creatinine. It has a superior diagnostic accuracy for preeclampsia compared to that of serum urate or creatinine in the 36th week sample. Also it has a superior prognostic accuracy in the 20th and 28th week samples as well [comparing AUC in ROC curves]