[Principal component analysis for microalbuminuria in patients with noninsulin-dependent, maturity-onset diabetes...

To determine causal mechanism(s) of microalbuminuria seen in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), multivariate analysis (principal component analysis) was applied, using patient's age, disease length, fasting blood sugar level (FBS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c %), and presence of hypertension as variables. Albumin concentration in the first morning urine was determined by the Latex Photometric Immunoassay (LPIA), and was expressed as albumin index (AI, albumin excretion per gram creatinine). Sixty five cases who had been continuously negative or equivocal (+/-) for urinary protein by an usual paper test method were analysed. The result indicated these patients could be separated into following three groups. Group A (12 cases) showed the highest AI value, was characterized by longer disease length (greater than 10 yrs), and was thought to be in transitional phase into clinical proteinuric stage. Group B (7 cases) was characterized by poor diabetic control and normalization of the microalbuminuria might be possible by strict control measures. In Group C (14 cases), patients were in relatively early stage of the disease, and were under good diabetic control, but presence of hypertension was thought to be a provocative factor.