Urinary microalbumin as a marker for intermittent claudication

Objective: The urinary microalbumin concentration was analysed in patients with intermittent claudication in order to investigate its usefulness as a marker for intermittent claudication. Materials and Methods: Urinary samples were collected prior to and following exercise in 15 patients with claudication. The patients walked on a treadmill as far as possible until they were stopped by pain. Urinary microalbumin concentration was measured by a latex agglutination system, and the result was considered abnormal when the concentration exceeded 10 mg/g creatinine. The ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) at rest and the time taken for the ankle pressure to return the resting levle following exercise (ABI recovery time) also were measured. Results: In seven (47%) of the patients, the urinary microalbumin concentration was elevated to move than 10 mg/g creatinine following exercise while in eight (53%) it remained normal. The ABI recovery time was significantly longer in the patients in whom the microalbumin concentration was elevated, compared to that in patients without an elevated concentration The urinary microalbumin concentration following exercise was reduced significantly when the walking distance was decreased 50% or 15%. Following vascular bypass surgery, the elevation in urinary microalbumin concentration was reduced. Conclusions: The use of urinary microalbumin as a diagnostic marker for intermittent claudication is limited. However, in cases where the concentration is elevated it can be used to follow the course of the disease.