[Evaluation of microalbuminuria in non-diabetic individuals]

To evaluate the presence of microalbuminuria in non-diabetic subjects, associating it to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension, smoking, dislipidemia and obesity. The urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE) was also evaluated regarding to insulin secretion and resistance indices.

105 subjects aged 33.4 +/- 1.4 years (57.1% women), received 75 g dextrose for an OGTT, and the following variables were evaluated for glucose and insulin curves: basal and 2 hours values, peak values (PV) and area under the curves (AUC). To evaluate insulin secretion and resistance, we used the insulinogenic, delta, HOMA, QUICKI, glucose to insulin ratio and the relation between insulinogenic and HOMA indices. A urine sample was collected overnight for albuminuria. Individuals were allocated in two groups: 1) normal, and 2) altered glucose metabolism.

The two groups differed in age, BMI, BP, abdominal circumference (AC), WHR, cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), glycemias (basal and 2h), AUCg, HOMA and QUICKI indices and the relation between insulinogenic and HOMA. Mean UAE was 4.28 +/- 2.73 microg/mL, correlating to DBP, glycemias, AUCg, GPV, HOMA, 2h insulin, IPV e AUCi. By stepwise multiple-regression analysis, only AUCg was predictive of UAE. By comparing interquartile intervals of UAE, we found statistical significance between the 1st and 4th quartile for: BMI, SBP, DBP, AC, waist, 2h glucose, TG, LDL, AUCg, AUCi, GPV and HOMA and QUICKI indices.

Although in the absence of microalbuminuric individuals, we found differences among UAE in individuals across a range of glucose tolerance and differences between clinical and laboratorial variables in the interquartile analysis. Our findings suggest that in non-diabetic individuals, UAE is associated to some characteristics of the metabolic syndrome, probably predisposing to greater atherogenic susceptibility.