New kidney test a better predictor of health

Scientists have developed a new blood test called Cystatin-C for predicting cardiovascular risk and death amongst elderly from kidney malfunction. Earlier test that was used was creatinine, and researchers say that the new test will be more effective and better predictor than the earlier one.

The new test distinguishes three types of cardiovascular risks: low, medium and high. The new test revealed that 20% of the population tested has a high level of cystatin-C. This makes them at 50% higher risk of cardiac attack and stroke compared to those who have lowest levels of the cystatin-C. The same participants when were tested with creatinine, only about 10% were detected to have similar high risks.

Kidney function is very closely related to cardiac disease and even loss of a small part of kidney function can radically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and related problems.

Researchers for the new test feel that this test can be used to detect health problems in elderly more accurately, as the rate of incidence of kidney malfunctions and cardiac diseases are quite high in them.

The research is published in the current edition of New England Journal of Medicine