Relationship Between Microalbuminuria and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Non-Diabetic Patients

Background: Prospective studies confirm that microalbuminuria is predictive, independently of classical risk
factor of cardiovascular diseases and all causes of mortality within groups of patients with diabetes or hypertension
and in the general population. However, there are few data relating angiographic severity of coronary
artery disease (CAD) to microalbuninuria (MA). We examined coronary angiograms for extent of severe CAD
(luminal narrowing 50%) in patients without Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and general population.
Patients and Methods: Our study consisted of 153 patients undergoing coronary angiography in Hazrat Fatemeh
hospital in Iran. (M/F 80/73, mean age 57±11yrs). Urine albumin excretion was measured in 24.h urine
samples by immune precipitation technique. Age-gender distribution of coronary risk factors and microalbuninuria
was compared between patient with and without coronary artery disease.
Results: 70.5%( 108) of patient had coronary artery disease and 29.4% (45) had no coronary lesion. Microalbuninuria
was detected in 62.9% in patients with CAD and 8.8% in those without coronary artery lesion
(P<0.001). The presence of 1 or 2 vessel CAD showed a linear increase between the groups without microalbuninuria.
Conclusion: Thus, patients with microalbuninuria have more severe angiographicaly detected coronary artery
disease than those without microalbuninuria, a relationship independent of other risk factor.