HIGHER LEVELS OF MICROPROTEINURIA IN ASIAN COMPARED WITH EUROPEAN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DIETARY-PROTEININTAKE AND DIABETIC COMPLICATIONS

Asian patients with diabetes have a higher prevalence of renal disease than their European counterparts. The aim of the study was to investi gate the pattern of the renal excretion of proteins in 70 Asian and 70 European patients with diabetes and to relate it to dietary intake of protein and prevalence of diabetic complications. Compared with match ed Europeans, Asian patients had an increased urinary excretion of alb umin and transferrin (p < 0.02) with 14 Asians and 6 Europeans having significant microalbuminuria (> 30 mug min-1). In 12 Asians and all 6 Europeans this was associated with complications from diabetes, partic ularly vascular. Asian patients had significantly more ischaemic heart disease (p < 0.001) but less neuropathy (p < 0.001) and retinopathy ( p < 0.05) than their matched European counterparts. Asian diets were l ower in protein (median (range) Asian vs European: 12.5 % (6-29 %) vs 19 % (11-27 %); p < 0.01) and carbohydrate but higher in fat than Euro pean diets. There was no correlation between dietary protein intake an d excretion of any of the urinary proteins measured. However, a signif icant correlation was found in Asians between protein intake and lengt h of residence in the UK (p < 0.005). Unless ways to reduce complicati ons can be found then future allocation of resources will need to take this into consideration in areas with large Asian communities.