Relative frequency of diabetic microalbuminuria in type II diabetic patients in Birjand (2005- 2007)

Diabetic microalbuminuria is one of the complications of diabetes, which has a higher incidence in type II diabetics than in type I patients. The disorder is accounted the principal cause of the end stage of renal disease (ESRD) across the world. The present study was carried out aiming at determining the prevalence of diabetic microalbuminuria in type II diabetics and its relationship to blood lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride) level, hemoglobin A1C, age, sex, and smoking. In this descriptive –analytical study, all patient's files (between March 2005 and March 2007) available in Kasra Specialized diabetic clinic and Vali-e-Asr hospital, affiliated to Birjand University of Medical Sciences, were studied. Requisite information including age, sex, blood pressure, diabetic period, blood lipids level etc, was recorded in a review-form. Then, the obtained data was analysed at the significant level P≤0.05 by means of the statistical software SPSS using Student-t and Chi-square at the significant level P<0.05. Totally, the files of 964 patients were surveyed. 30.8% of the patients aged between 51 and 60 years.361 cases (37.4%) were women.267 cases (27.7%) had a history of smoking and 74.3% a history of hypertension. Besides, 87 patients (9%) suffered microalbuminuria. In most of the cases (60.6%) the period of having diabetes was less than or equal to five years. Mean time of having diabetes was 5.86±4.8 years. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels were higher than normal (55.5% and 63.9% respectively) and their mean values were estimated 213±66mg/dL and 214±142mg/dL respectively. Logistic regression test showed a significant difference between variables such as period of having diabetes (P=0.001), and hypertriglyceridemia (P=0.01) with microalbuminuria (P<0.05); but no significant relationship was found between age and sex to this disorder. Admittedly, based on the findings of this study, time span of having diabetes, hypertension, and smoking are among the important risk factors triggering the occurrence of microalbuminuria. However, more studies with a larger sample size are recommended.