Risk factors for atherosclerosis in female type II diabetic patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy

Risk factors for atherosclerosis were investigated in a group of 17 female Type II diabetic patients with microalbuminuria-urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in the range of 30-300 mg/day, and in a control group including 15 Type II diabetic females with UAE less than 30 mg/day. Significantly increased mean concentrations of total and LDL-cholesterol were measured in the group with microalbuminuria (p less than 0.05). Also mean levels of some other cardiovascular risk factors (systolic blood pressure, fibrinogen, apolipoprotein B, triglycerides and uric acid) were higher in the group of patients with microalbuminuria, although the differences in comparison to the control group did not reach the level of statistical significance. In the multiple stepwise regression analysis log transformed UAE values correlated significantly with three independent factors--uric acid (p less than 0.01), fibrinogen (p less than 0.05), and systolic blood pressure (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that a slight increase in the levels of a number of cardiovascular risk factors observed in incipient diabetic nephropathy suggests an additive effect favouring atherogenesis.