Microalbuminuria in urban Zimbabwean women

The prevalence of microalbuminuria (MAU) in African populations has not been reported, nor has the relationship between MAU and hypertension been reported for these populations. We collected spot urine samples from 370 women, 25 years and older as a part of a population-based, cross-sectional blood pressure survey in an urban community in Zimbabwe and analysed the samples for albumin and beta2-microglobulin. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 30% for women 25 years and older in this community. After excluding the samples with hematuria (11%), the prevalence of MAU (3.0 < or = albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR, mg/mmol) <25.0) in the study population was 9%. When age-adjusted to the population in the community, the prevalence was 8% among women 25 years and older. The prevalence of MAU was substantially higher in hypertensive (HT) than in normotensive (NT) women (16% vs 4%, P<0.001). A significantly higher level of log ACR in HT was found in each age group except the youngest age group (age 25-34). In age-adjusted multiple regression, percent fat mass was negatively associated with log ACR (beta = -1. 18, 95% CI (-0.23, -2.21), P = 0.02). In a similar regression analysis, higher log beta8-microglobulin-to-creatinine ratio was very strongly associated with higher log ACR (beta = 0.34, 95% CI (0.25, 0.43), P<0.0001) and significantly associated with lower percent fat mass (beta = -1.02, 95% CI (-0.25, -1.8), P = 0.01). These results suggest that MAU is frequently caused by hypertension, but that other diseases may contribute to its presence.