Microalbuminuria in a clinic population of type 2 Melanesian diabetics: Relationship to glycaemic control, blood pressure and duration of diabetes

Objective: To determine the prevalence of mcroalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes from Papua new Guinea and examine its association with glycaemic control, blood pressure and duration of diabetes. Design: Prospective, type 2 Melanesian diabetics attending a diabetic clinic. Setting: 800 bed teaching hospital in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Main Outcome Measures: Microalbuminuria, glycaemic control, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, duration of diabetes. Results: Microalbuminuria was detected in 42% (34 males and 37 females of mean age 41 years) with significantly (p=0.007) higher values being observed in males. Hypertension was present in 16.9% of diabetics. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements were significantly higher in diabetics with microalbuminuria. There were no significant differences in age, Body Mass Index (BMI), and glycaemic control in patients with or without microalbuminuria. On regression analysis, the presence of microalbuminuria was found to be independent of glycaemic control, duration of disease, (BMI), but influenced strongly by diastolic blood pressure (p=0.002) and to a lesser degree by age (p=0.043). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of mcroalbuminuria, which was independent of glycaemic control, BMI and duration of disease. The presence of microalbuminuria was influenced by diastolic blood pressure and age. Patients with elevated creatinine levels were also found to be at risk.