Diagnostic Significance of Serum Cystatin C as A Predictor of Severity in COVID-19 Infected Egyptian Patients

Abstract

Article informationBackground: may produce a systemic inflammatory state and multiorgan dysfunction, including renal damage. Biochemical and radiological tests are important in assessing disease severity and selecting therapeutic options. Serum cystatin C [sCys C] is involved in immunomodulatory responses in inflammatory conditions and infections, and it reflects changes in borderline renal function. The Aim of the work: Measurement of serum cystatin C levels in COVID-19 infected Egyptian participants as a predictor of the disease`s severity. Patients and Methods: This was an observational case-control study carried out on 80 participants, including 60 Egyptian COVID-19 patients and 20 healthy individuals as controls. All participants were investigated for laboratory, medical, and radiological features of COVID-19 as well as serum cystatin C. Patients were distributed into three categories according to illness severity; each group involved 20 patients: mild cases [group I], moderate cases [group II], and severe cases [group III].Results: Serum cystatin C levels were found to be higher in group III patients, with a highly statistically significant difference between groups. Group III patients had higher levels of CRP, D-dimer, serum urea, and creatinine, with a highly statistically significant difference between groups. With a cutoff of >9.6, there was a significant link between serum systatin C and the severity of COVID-19 disease, with 96.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Conclusion:The present study indicates that serum systatin C may serve as a tool for diagnosing potentially severe cases of COVID-19 infected Egyptian patients.