New kidney test better elder mortality predictor, tests for cystatin

... Test for protein cystatin is a more accurate predictor than standard test for creatinine, especially for cardiac risk - A study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) has found that a test of kidney function that measures blood levels of cystatin C -- a protein produced by most cells in the body -- is a far more accurate predictor of mortality risk in elderly people than the current standard kidney function test, which measures levels of the protein creatinine... click link for more info. ...