OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of albuminuria in patients with and without diabetes mellitus, answering the question: 'How relevant for general practice are epidemiological findings that albuminuria is a significant risk indicator for the development of cardiovascular syndromes?'. METHOD: The relationship between albuminuria and vascular disease was studied in two groups of subjects: one group consisted of 138 patients with diabetes mellitus and the other of 160 patients without diabetes, randomly selected from a stratified sample comparable with known diabetics by age, sex and profession. The groups were examined in the same way and mortality was followed over 5 years (1994-1998). RESULTS: Albuminuria was significantly more often present in diabetics (P < 0.0001). Peripheral arterial occlusive disease was diagnosed in 27.3% of patients with diabetes mellitus, and in 8.8% of the control group (P < 0.001). In the diabetic group 40 (29%) had microalbuminuria, but only 20 (12.5%) of the other group had the condition. In the presence of albuminuria, the incidence of arterial occlusive disease was 53.6%, but in those without it was only 9.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has demonstrated that albuminuria is frequently present with diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidaemia and in cases with increased concentration of blood fibrinogen. The albuminuria was significantly more frequent in those who died in the observed 5-year period after first examination. Although albuminuria indicates higher risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetics and in non-diabetics, it is necessary to study further how useful is this evidence for general practice.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of albuminuria in patients with and without diabetes mellitus, answering the question: 'How relevant for general practice are epidemiological findings that albuminuria is a significant risk indicator for the development of cardiovascular syndromes?'. METHOD: The relationship between albuminuria and vascular disease was studied in two groups of subjects: one group consisted of 138 patients with diabetes mellitus and the other of 160 patients without diabetes, randomly selected from a stratified sample comparable with known diabetics by age, sex and profession. The groups were examined in the same way and mortality was followed over 5 years (1994-1998). RESULTS:Albuminuria was significantly more often present in diabetics (P < 0.0001). Peripheral arterial occlusive disease was diagnosed in 27.3% of patients with diabetes mellitus, and in 8.8% of the control group (P < 0.001). In the diabetic group 40 (29%) had microalbuminuria, but only 20 (12.5%) of the other group had the condition. In the presence of albuminuria, the incidence of arterial occlusive disease was 53.6%, but in those without it was only 9.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has demonstrated that albuminuria is frequently present with diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidaemia and in cases with increased concentration of blood fibrinogen. The albuminuria was significantly more frequent in those who died in the observed 5-year period after first examination. Although albuminuria indicates higher risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetics and in non-diabetics, it is necessary to study further how useful is this evidence for general practice.