Prevalence of Microalbuminuria in Older-Onset Diabetes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To examine the prevalence of microalbuminuria and the relationships of microalbuminuria to blood pressure and other risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Individuals diagnosed with diabetes at ≥30 yr of age either taking insulin (n = 435) or not taking insulin (n = 363), who were participants in the population-based Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy, were examined during 1984-1986. Random urine samples were collected and an agglutination inhibition test was used to determine the presence of microalbuminuria, which is defined as ≥0.03 g/L but <0.3 g/L. RESULTS The frequency of microalbuminuria was 29.2% in those individuals taking insulin and 22.0% in those not taking insulin. Microalbuminuria was significantly associated with the male sex, older age, higher systolic blood pressure, higher GHb, use of insulin, higher recent alcohol consumption, and a history of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a relationship between controllable risk factors, blood pressure and GHb, and microalbuminuria in older-onset diabetic individuals.