Microalbuminuria in diabetic patients and its correlation with duration of disease and glycemic control

Abstract

Objective: To find out the frequency of microalbuminuria in patients with diabetes mellitus both type 1and 2 with reference to glycemic control and duration of disease.

Methods: Study was conducted at Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital North Nazimabad Campus, Karachi. Fifty seven diabetic patients of either sex were included in the study. Patient taking Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were excluded from the study.

Results: Out of 57 diabetic patients, 22 (38.6%) patients had HbA1c less than 7.0 % and 35 (61.4%) patients had HbA1c more than 7.0 %. Out of 22 patients with optimal glycemic control 8 (36.4%) had microalbuminuria, 3 (13.6%) had clinical albuminuria and 11 (50.0%) had no microalbuminuria. While out of 35 patients with poor glycemic control 10 (28.6%) had microalbuminuria, 9 (25.7%) had clinical albuminuria and 16 (45.7%) had no microalbuminuria.

Out of 57 patients; 14 (24.6%) were having disease up to 5 years. Out of them 10 (71.4%) had no microalbuminuria and 4 (28.6%) had micro and clinical albuminuria. Patients with disease duration between 6-10 years were 18 (31.6%), out of which 10 (55.6%) had no microalbuminuria and 8 (44.4%) had micro and clinical albuminuria and 25 (44%) patients were having disease duration more than 10 years, out of these, 7 (28%) had no microalbuminuria and 18 (72%) had micro and clinical albuminuria.

Conclusion: Diabetic patients with increased duration of disease are more prone to renal complication irrespective of glycemic control at the time of study. Therefore besides monitoring for their glycemic control, these patients should be monitored for development of nephropathy especially more frequently as the disease duration progresses.