摘要
Background Serum cystatin C levels can be used to predict morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the clinical relevance of serum cystatin C levels in patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has rarely been investigated. We designed the present study to investigate whether serum cystatin C levels are associated with cardiac structural and functional alterations in hypertensive patients. Methods We enrolled 823 hypertensive patients and classified them into two groups:those with LVH (n=287) and those without LVH (n=536). All patients underwent echocardiography and serum cystatin C testing. We analyzed the relationship be-tween serum cystatin C levels and LVH. Results Serum cystatin C levels were higher in hypertensive patients with LVH than in those without LVH (P<0.05). Using linear correlation analysis, we found a positive correlation between serum cystatin C levels and interven-tricular septal thickness (r=0.247, P<0.01), posterior wall thickness (r=0.216, P<0.01), and left ventricular weight index (r=0.347, P<0.01). When analyzed by multiple linear regression, the positive correlations remained between serum cystatin C and interventricular septal thickness (β=0.167, P<0.05), posterior wall thickness (β=0.187, P<0.05), and left ventricular weight index (β=0.245, P<0.01). Con-clusion Serum cystatin C concentration is an independent marker for hypertensive LVH.