Normal urinary albumin excretion in recently diagnosed type 1 diabetic patients

The urinary excretion of albumin and retinol binding protein were measured in 51 recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients and 48 control subjects, matched for age and sex. The diabetic patients, admitted consecutively to the Steno Memorial Hospital, were all studied 3 to 6 months after the onset of diabetes. Urinary albumin excretion (median and 95% confidence interval) was similar in the diabetic patients and normal control subjects (8 (6-11) vs 8 (6-11) mg 24-h-1, NS). Four diabetic patients had urinary albumin excretion in the microalbuminuric range of 30-300 mg 24-h-1. There was no significant difference between the two groups in urinary excretion of retinol binding protein. The distribution among the individuals of both urinary proteins was positively skewed and similar in the two groups. In conclusion, no significant differences in the urinary excretion of albumin and retinol binding protein were found between recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients and normal subjects.