Albumin excretion in children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes

Microalbuminuria has been shown to predict end-stage renal failure in adults with insulin-dependent diabetes. We have measured albumin excretion rates (AER) in 106 normal adults, 64 normal children and 68 children with insulin-dependent diabetes. The median AER's in both groups of children were similar and both were significantly lower than in the adult population. In normal and diabetic children there was a significant positive correlation of AER with age, but not with duration of disease or HbA1 in the diabetic group. We conclude that AER is lower in children than in adults and that the levels of albumin excretion which are predictive of clinical diabetic nephropathy in adults may not be applicable to children.