ABSTRACT:
Background: Diabetic nephropathy is the single most frequent cause of end stage renal disease. GFR is the best index of renal function in health and disease. Its direct measurement with inulin or EDTA requires specialized technical personnel. Properties of an ideal endogenous blood substance to estimate GFR should include release into blood stream at constant rate and free filtration by glomerulus. Serum Creatinine is the most commonly used filtration marker in clinical practice but its accuracy is significantly hampered by the confounding influence of diet, age, gender and muscle mass. Microalbuminuria is first detectable functional abnormality, but there is 40% day to day variability. Several factors can increase urinary albumin like exercise, UTI, CCF. Cystatin C is s 13kDa protein expressed in all nucleated cells and produced at constant rate. It is freely filtered by glomerulus. It does not return to blood stream and is not secreted by renal tubules. It has been suggested to be “ideal” endogenous marker.
Journal Authors
ASHOK.M.L , PRASHANTH. V.N , AMOGH DUDHEWALA
*Associate Professor in Medicine, **Assistant Professor In Medicine, ***Junior Resident In Medicine
Department of Medicine, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore.