Potential Marker for Increased Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Nondiabetic Subjects?

Microalbuminuria is associated with progression to renal disease In Insulin-dependent diabetes and wtth Increased mortality in noninsulln-dependent diabetes. In contrast, few studies have addressed the effect of mlcroalbumlnurla on cardiovas-cular risk In nondlabetics. We, therefore, determined the level of microalbuminuria In 316 nondiabetic subjects from the San Antonio Heart Study, a population-based study of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors. Microalbuminuria (£30 mg/l) was found In 42 of these 316 subjects (13%). Subjects wtth mlcroalbumlnurla had significantly higher blood pressure, trlglyceride concentration, sum of Insulin concentrations during a glucose tolerance test, and prevalence of hypertension and of self-reported myocardlal Infarction than subjects without microalbuminuria. When subjects with hypertension were excluded (n=27), normotensive subjects with mlcroalbumlnurla (n=31) still had significantly higher trlglyceride concentrations and Insulin sum than normotensive subjects without microalbuminuria (n=258), suggesting that an increased atherogenlc risk factor pattern exists even In normotensive subjects with microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria may be a marker for cardiovascular risk