Microalbuminuria, is it so important?

Microalbuminuria (defined as urinary albumin excretion of 30-300 mg/day, or 20-200 microg/min) is an earlier sign of vascular damage. It is a marker of general vascular dysfunction and nowadays is considered a predictor of worse outcomes for both kidney and heart patients. There is a significant correlation between blood pressure and microalbuminuria. Even high normal blood pressure is associated with significant higher frequency of microalbuminuria and this way may be a biomarker of increased cardiovascular risk. Microalbuminuria could be taken also, as an indicator of insulin resistance and of the increased renal and cardiovascular risk associated with metabolic syndrome. Renal involvement is a pivotal development in diabetes and microalbuminuria is generally the first clinical sign of renal dysfunction in diabetics. It is demonstrated that cardiovascular and renal risk is elevated even in the high normal range of microalbuminuria (below 30 mg/day). There is no doubt that therapies that prevent or delay the development of microalbuminuria and all measures that reduce it, may help to prevent or delay end organ damage.