Microalbuminuria is independently associated with ischaemic electrocardiographic abnormalities in a large non-diabetic population

Aim To assess the value of microalbuminuria as an indicator of increased ca rdiovascular risk in a non-diabetic population. Methods and Results 7579 non-diabetic subjects were studied with ages rangi ng from 28 to 75 years selected from a population based cohort. Using compu terized Minnesota coding, ischaemic electrocardiographic abnormalities were divided into three categories: infarct patterns, major ischaemia. and mino r ischaemia. Urinary albumin excretion was measured as the mean of two 24-h urine collections. Cardiovascular risk indicators were defined as an age a bove 60 Fears, male sex, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking, obes ity and a positive cardiovascular family history. Microalbuminuria was asso ciated with age, sea, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, serum glucose, bod y mass index and all three categories of electrocardiographic abnormalities . In a multivariate model, adjusted for established cardiovascular risk ind icators, microalbuminuria was independently associated with infarct pattern s (OR [95% CI] 1.61 [1.12-2.32]), major ischaemia (OR 1.43 [1.08-1.91]) and minor ischaemia (OR 1.32 [1.03-1.68]). Conclusions The independent association between microalbuminuria and ischae mic electrocardiographic abnormalities suggests that microalbuminuria has a dditional value to conventional risk indicators in predicting cardiovascula r disease in non-diabetics. Assessment of microalbuminuria could be an inst rument to identify those at an increased risk for coronary vascular disease in an early stage. (C) 2000 The European Society of Cardiology.