【Abstract】 Objective To investigate whether serum cystatin C (Cys C) concentration correlates with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods This study enrolled 633 type 2 DM patients met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. All the patients were subjected to the measurement of serum Cys C, concentration, complete blood count, and blood biochemical test. The severity of CAS was evaluated by Doppler ultrasound to define intimal medial thickness (IMT) of carotid artery, the location and size of atherosclerotic plaque. Based on the estimated glomerular filtation rate (eGFR), the patients were divided into DM with chronic kidney diease (CKD) group (DM-CKD) and DM without CKD group (DM-NCKD), then were further divided into two subgroups by IMT and AS plaque. The relationship of serum Cys C with the severity of CAS was evaluated by the comparison between the two groups, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results In 396 DM-NCKD patients with the eGFR ≥60 mL/(min·1.73 m2), Cys C concentration of IMT thickening group was higher than that of normal IMT group 〔(1.00±0.20) mg/L vs. (0.90±0.30) mg/L, P
