[Microalbuminuria as predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in IDDM].

The aim of this follow-up study was to assess whether slightly elevated urinary albumin excretion, i.e., microalbuminuria, precedes development of atherosclerotic vascular disease in IDDM. Out of 259 IDDM-patients 30 developed vascular disease during 2,457 person-years. Microalbuminuria was significantly predictive of vascular disease (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.06 (1.02-1.18) per 5 mg/24 hours increase in urinary albumin excretion; p = 0.002). The predictive effect was independent of age, sex, blood pressure, tobacco smoking, serum concentrations of total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, sialic acid, and von Willebrand factor, and of haemoglobin A1c, insulin dose, diabetes duration, and diabetic nephropathy (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.04 (1.01-1.08) per 5 mg/24 hours increase in urinary albumin excretion; p = 0.03). It is concluded that slightly elevated urinary albumin excretion is an independent predictor of atherosclerotic vascular disease in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.