SIGNIFICANCE OF MICROALBUMINURIA IN ATHEROSCLEROTIC VASCULAR-DISEASE

Microalbuminuria is considered as a sign of high risk of renal disease in type 1 diabetes mellitus, and of cardiovascular disease in types 1 and 2 diabetes. In recent years numerous studies have suggested that microalbuminuria may be associated with atherosclerotic vascular disea se, independently from diabetes mellitus. The presence of microalbumin uria was investigated in 30 patients suffering from atherosclerotic va scular disease: ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or art erial disease of the lower extremities. They were divided into two gro ups similar in age: 13 with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 17 without d iabetes. The aim of the research was to reveal eventually different pr evalence of microalbuminuria in patients with vascular disease associa ted with diabetes or without diabetes. Microalbuminuria was present in 52.9 % of the non diabetic patients and in 76.9 % of the diabetics, b ut the difference did not reach statistical significance (in Mann-Whit ney test p = 0.18; Chi-square test = 0.83; p = 0.3). No significant co rrelation was found between microalbuminuria and fibrinogen, total cho lesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. The hypertensive patients presented higher mean values of microalbuminuria than the normotensiv e ones (3.2 +/- 3.8 and 2.8 +/- 4.4 mg %, respectively), but the diffe rence was again not significant (t = 0.25; p = 0.8). In the light of t his research microalbuminuria seems to be a condition associated with atherosclerotic vascular disease, independently from the presence of d iabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension.