Role of Cystatin C and Renal Resistive Index in Assessment of Renal Function in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Renal impairment is a common finding in patients with chronic liver disease; it has a huge impact on the patients’ survival. Moreover, the severity of renal dysfunction increases with the advancement of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Therefore, close follow-up of the renal function in patients with liver cirrhosis is mandatory and markers of early renal impairment are priceless in these patients. Using the current markers and equations of the renal function in cirrhotic patients can be challenging. Serum creatinine, the most widely used marker, may underestimate renal impairment in patients with liver cirrhosis. Decreased hepatic production of creatine, reduced muscle mass, and malnutrition account for an increased gap between serum creatinine levels and the actual renal function. Serum cystatin C (CysC) has been proposed as a novel biomarker of the renal function which can it play fundamental role in evaluation of renal impermanent in different stages of liver cirrhosis as alternative of creatinine.