Cystatin C-the possibility of early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes

Cystatin C is an endogenous protein with a lower molecular weight than creatinine, produced by all nuclear cells of the body, freely filtered by the glomeruli, completely excreted by the kidneys and not secreted by the proximal tubules. All of this suggested that cystatin C levels could be used to determine GFR. In addition, its concentration is almost independent of age, sex and muscle mass. Therefore, KDIGO experts recommend the determination of GFR by cystatin C. There are formulas that allow a more accurate assessment of GFR by the level of cystatin C in the blood than by the level of creatinine (the most common was The hawk formula (Hoek)).