PREVALENCE OF MICROALBUMINURIA AND MACROALBUMINURIA IN A CANARIAN POPULATION OF TYPE-2 DIABETIC-PATIENTS - RELATIONSHIP WITH BLOOD-PRESSURE, LIPID PROFILE, OBESITY AND METABOLIC CONTROL

We performed a cross-sectional study on the prevalence of micro- and m acroalbuminuria in a population of 288 Type 2 diabetic patients from N orthern Gran Canaria Island (age 59 +/- 9.5, years; 48% male). 179 uns elected patients referred by their family physicians, and 109 from our diabetes clinic. Sex, age, duration of diabetes and hypertension, blo od pressure, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, HbA(1C), creatinine, ch olesterol (total and HDL), triglycerides, lipoprotein (a), and the pre sence of retinopathy, polyneuropathy, and coronary and cerebrovascular disease were assessed. The prevalences of micro- and macroalbuminuria were 28.5% and 11.8%. Among the patients referred by their family phy sicians, 32.4% were micro- and 6.1% macroalbuminuric. In our diabetes clinic, there were respectively 22% and 21% (with a higher prevalence of macroalbuminuria than in primary care, p < 0.05). Seventy-three per cent were hypertensive in both settings. Prevalence was 31.5% for diab etic retinopathy, 21.0% for diabetic polyneuropathy, 8.1% for cerebrov ascular disease, and 20.2% for coronary heart disease. The albumin exc retion rate was significantly correlated with plasma creatinine levels , diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and the presence of coro nary heart disease and diabetic retinopathy, but not with age, duratio n of diabetes or hypertension, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, glyca ted haemoglobin or triglycerides.