PREVALENCE OF MICRO-ALBUMINURIA AND MACRO-ALBUMINURIA IN ITALIAN TYPE-II (NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT) DIABETIC-PATIENTS

The objective of this multicentre cross-sectional study was to determi ne the prevalence of micro- and macro-albuminuria in Type II (non-insu lin dependent) diabetic patients attending 10 outpatients clinics of n orth-east Italy, A sample of 524 Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabe tic patients stratified by age and known duration of diabetes were ran domly selected from a previous screening of the whole known diabetic p opulation (33 995 patients) attending the outpatients clinics, Albumin excretion rate, blood pressure and several clinical and laboratory da ta were collected. The prevalence of microalbuminuria (albumin excreti on rate ranging between 20-200 mg/min) was 16.4 % and that of macroalb uminuria (albumin excretion rate > 200 mg/min) was 3.8%, The increased albumin excretion was significantly associated with known duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, higher triglyceride plasma levels, serum creatinine, retinopathy and a history of cardiovascular or peri pheral vascular disease, In conclusion, this cross-sectional study rev ealed that an abnormal albumin excretion rate is present in one-fifth of the Italian population with Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabete s. The higher prevalence of macrovascular disease and of controllable risk factors in those patients with increased albumin excretion underl ines the importance of early intervention in the attempt to improve th e reduced survival rate of this subset of diabetic patients.