Diagnostic value of cystatin C in acute kidney injury among patients with sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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By
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Luping Cheng
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Bo Zhang
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Xia Hu
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Wenxin Wang
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Hong Wan
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Jun Liao
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Chuanliang Pan
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Deqiong Xie
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June 10, 2026
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Clinical Scorecard: Evaluating Cystatin C as a Diagnostic Marker for Acute Kidney Injury in Sepsis Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
At a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|
| Condition | |
| Key Mechanisms | Cystatin C (CysC) as a biomarker for early detection of AKI. |
| Target Population | |
| Care Setting | |
Key Highlights
- Cystatin C shows good diagnostic performance for SA-AKI with an AUC of 0.88.
- Sensitivity of cystatin C is 0.81 and specificity is 0.82.
- Higher specificity and diagnostic odds ratio observed in studies based on Sepsis 3.0 criteria.
- Combination of cystatin C with other biomarkers improves diagnostic accuracy.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
- Use cystatin C in conjunction with serum creatinine and urine output for diagnosing SA-AKI.
Management
Monitoring & Follow-up
- Monitor cystatin C levels for assessing renal function in sepsis patients.
Risks
- Be aware of the limitations of serum creatinine and urine output in early AKI detection.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Patients with sepsis at risk of acute kidney injury.
Cystatin C measurement is simple, cost-effective, and suitable for rapid bedside assessment.
Clinical Best Practices
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