Clinical Significance of Microalbuminuria in Korean Non-diabetic Subjects

Chae, Hee Bok; Kim, Chul Hee; Lee, Ki Man; Park, Joong Yeol; Hong, Sung Kwan; Kim, Ghi Su; Lee, Ki Up

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
It has been reported that microalbuminuria is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. This study was initiated to see whether microalbuminuria is associated with cardiovascular risk factor in Korean non-diabetic subjects.
METHODS
We examined various correlates of microalbuminuria in 221 non-diabetic subjects aged 50-59 years who visited health promotion center of Asan medical center.
RESULTS
1) Microalbuminuria was detected in 7%(15/211) of Korean non-diabetic subjects. 2) The subjects with microalbuminuria had higher BMI(25.0 vs. 23.8kg/m2), higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure(143/87 vs, 124/95mmHg), higher serum cholesterol(220 vs. 201mg/dL), higher triglyceride(151 vs. 99mg/dL), higher fasting insulin levels(9.8 vs. 6.1 microU/ml) than the subjects with normoalbuminuria. 3) Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that microalbuminuria was independently related to age, blood pressure, and fasting serum insulin levels.
CONCLUSION
We found that significant proportion of Korean non-diabetic subjects had microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria was associated with various cardiovascular risk factors including higher fasting serum insulin level. These findings suggest that microalbuminuria may form part of the insulin resistance syndrome, so called 'Syndrome X'.