Increased prevalence of albuminuria in individuals with higher range of impaired fasting glucose: the 2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

AIMS

We investigated the prevalence of albuminuria across a range of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), including normal fasting glucose (NFG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and diabetes.

METHODS

A total of 5202 subjects who participated in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were enrolled. Spot urine samples were taken and the albumin-creatinine ratio was calculated for each patient. Subjects were divided into five groups according to FPG levels: <5.0 (NFG1, n=1,905), 5.0-5.5 (NFG2, n=1,784), 5.6-6.0 (IFG1, n=727), 6.1-6.9 (IFG2, n=268), and ≥7.0 (diabetes, n=518) mmol/L. Analysis of covariance tests and logistic regression were used.

RESULTS

The rates of albuminuria were 4.1%, 6.0%, 7.6%, 12.3%, and 23.4% in the NFG1, NFG2, IFG1, IFG2 and diabetes groups, respectively (P<0.01 for the trend). The rate of albuminuria in the IFG2 group was significantly higher than in the IFG1 group, even after adjustment for age, gender, hypertension, and obesity. The odds ratio for the presence of albuminuria in the IFG2 group was 1.87 (95% CI, 1.19-2.94), using the NFG1 group as a control in logistic regression analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Albuminuria is more prevalent in subjects in the higher range of IFG. Therefore, strategies to reduce albuminuria should be emphasized especially in these subjects.