Serum Cystatin C Profile in a Cohort of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Côte d'Ivoire

Background: Unlike creatinine, serum cystatin C concentrations are primarily determined by glomerular filtration and are not affected by tubular secretion. Several clinical studies suggest a close association between serum cystatin C concentrations and glomerular filtration rate. In addition, these concentrations may vary according to the ethnic origin of the population. However, cystatin C remains insufficiently studied in Black African populations, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire. Aims: The study aims to characterise the serum cystatin C profile in a cohort of Ivorian adults with chronic kidney disease in Côte d’Ivoire. Materials and Methods: This study included 100 patients (61 men and 39 women; aged 19–64 years) with chronic renal failure who were followed in the nephrology department of the Yopougon University Hospital Center in Abidjan. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation without an ethnic correction factor. Cystatin C concentrations were measured by an immunoturbidimetric method using the Cobas Intégra 400 plus® analyser. The values were compared with those obtained from a population of presumed healthy Ivorian adults. Results: The mean age of the patients was 45 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.56. The mean serum cystatin C concentration was 3.03 ± 1.28 mg/L. These concentrations were threefold higher than those of presumed healthy subjects and were significantly higher among patients with an eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m². Serum cystatin C was inversely correlated with eGFR (rs = −0.709; p < 0.0001). Concentrations were also higher among patients aged 50 years or older (3.31 ± 1.12 mg/L). However,                       no significant differences in mean cystatin C concentrations were observed according to sex or body mass index. Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicate that serum cystatin C concentrations are associated with lower eGFR in Ivorian patients with chronic kidney disease. Further studies involving larger clinical cohorts and different stages of disease progression are required to assess its clinical utility.