BACKGROUND: The association between measures of subclinical cardiovascular disease and progression of urine albumin-creatinine ratios (UACRs) over time is uncertain. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a cohort of adults aged 45-84 years without baseline clinical cardiovascular disease. Examinations were completed approximately every 1.5 years, and UACR was measured during the first 3 examinations. Analysis was limited to 4,878 participants without baseline micro- or macroalbuminuria. PREDICTOR: 1-standard deviation (SD) unit difference in baseline maximum common and internal carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measured using ultrasonography. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS: Baseline UACR was categorized as normal or high-normal. UACR progression was categorized as no progression (consistent UACR category across all 3 examinations or regression to a lower category) and definite progression (higher UACR category at examination 2 compared with baseline, then stabilizing or progressing at examination 3). UACR changes not consistent with definite or no UACR progression were classified as intermediate UACR progression. Change in log UACR also was examined. RESULTS: In the 4,878 participants, median baseline UACR was 4.6 mg/g (range, 0.4-24.6 mg/g). Definite and intermediate UACR progression was noted in 279 and 807, respectively. Every 1-SD unit difference in common CIMT was associated with a 22% increased adjusted odds of definite compared with no UACR progression (95% CI, 1.07-1.41). No significant association was noted between 1-SD unit difference in maximum internal CIMT and definite UACR progression after adjusting for covariates (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.96-1.21). In the mixed-effects model, changes in log UACR were 0.029 (95% CI, 0.012-0.046) and 0.019 mg/g (95% CI, 0.001-0.037) per 1-SD difference in maximum common and internal CIMT after adjustment for covariates, respectively. LIMITATIONS: UACR was measured in a single spot urine specimen at each exam. CONCLUSION: Higher common CIMT is associated with UACR progression.
BACKGROUND: The association between measures of subclinical cardiovascular disease and progression of urine albumin-creatinine ratios (UACRs) over time is uncertain. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a cohort of adults aged 45-84 years without baseline clinical cardiovascular disease. Examinations were completed approximately every 1.5 years, and UACR was measured during the first 3 examinations. Analysis was limited to 4,878 participants without baseline micro- or macroalbuminuria. PREDICTOR: 1-standard deviation (SD) unit difference in baseline maximum common and internal carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measured using ultrasonography. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS: Baseline UACR was categorized as normal or high-normal. UACR progression was categorized as no progression (consistent UACR category across all 3 examinations or regression to a lower category) and definite progression (higher UACR category at examination 2 compared with baseline, then stabilizing or progressing at examination 3). UACR changes not consistent with definite or no UACR progression were classified as intermediate UACR progression. Change in log UACR also was examined. RESULTS: In the 4,878 participants, median baseline UACR was 4.6 mg/g (range, 0.4-24.6 mg/g). Definite and intermediate UACR progression was noted in 279 and 807, respectively. Every 1-SD unit difference in common CIMT was associated with a 22% increased adjusted odds of definite compared with no UACR progression (95% CI, 1.07-1.41). No significant association was noted between 1-SD unit difference in maximum internal CIMT and definite UACR progression after adjusting for covariates (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.96-1.21). In the mixed-effects model, changes in log UACR were 0.029 (95% CI, 0.012-0.046) and 0.019 mg/g (95% CI, 0.001-0.037) per 1-SD difference in maximum common and internal CIMT after adjustment for covariates, respectively. LIMITATIONS: UACR was measured in a single spot urine specimen at each exam. CONCLUSION: Higher common CIMT is associated with UACR progression.
Authors: Paul Zemaitis; Kiang Liu; David R Jacobs; Mary Cushman; Ramon Durazo-Arvizu; David Shoham; Walter Palmas; Richard Cooper; Holly Kramer Journal: Clin J Am Soc Nephrol Date: 2014-09-08 Impact factor: 8.237