Microalbuminuria correlates with the prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease in non-diabetic patients

Background: It has been shown that microalbuminuria is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in diabetetics, hypertensive patients and in the general population. However, few data has addressed the correlation of microalbuminuria with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the study was to assess the association of microalbuminuria with the prevalence and severity of CAD. Methods: The subjects, 79 men and 74 women aged 45-70 years, were classified as CAD-negative and CAD-positive according to the results of coronary angiography. The severity of CAD was scored on the basis of the number and the extent of lesions within the coronary arteries. Urine albumin excretion was measured in 24 h urine samples by method of nephelometry. Results: Coronary artery disease occurred more frequently in males than in females and in smokers than in non-smokers. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia between two groups. Microalbuminuria was more prevalent in CAD-positive patients than in controls (62.9% vs. 8.8%; p <= 0.001). Patients with microalbuminuria compared with the controls had increased prevalence of one (15.3% vs. 7.4%, p <= 0.001), two (50% vs. 22.2%, p <= 0.001), and three vessel disease (29.2% vs. 19.8%, p <= 0.001). Microalbuminuria exhibited a significant correlation with the severity of CAD (r = 0.40, p <= 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with microalbuminuria have more severe angiographically detected CAD than those without microalbuminuria. The results indicate that microalbuminuria exhibits a significant association with the presence and severity of CAD. (Cardiol J 2009; 16, 2: 142-145)