Title : Microalbuminuria and its correlation with HbA1c levels in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics: a cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Objective: To determine the frequency of microalbuminuria in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics and to investigate the correlation between microalbumin levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels at a tertiary care hospital in Quetta, Pakistan.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan, from November 3, 2022, to May 2, 2023. Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. HbA1c levels were measured from venous blood samples, and microalbumin levels were assessed using spot urine samples. The urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was used to define microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/g). Data were collected using a standardized proforma and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.
Results: A total of 144 patients were included in the study. The mean age (± SD) of participants was 43.4 ± 8.2 years. The gender distribution showed 50 (34.7%) male and 94 (65.3%) female patients. Microalbuminuria was detected in 26 (18.1%) patients, which is consistent with recent studies reporting prevalence rates between 17.4% and 47.4% in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. Pearson's correlation coefficient between HbA1c levels and urine albumin levels was r = 0.493 (p < 0.05), indicating a moderate positive correlation.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that microalbuminuria is prevalent in a significant proportion of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients in Quetta, Pakistan. The moderate positive correlation between HbA1c and microalbumin levels underscores the importance of glycemic control in the early stages of diabetes for preventing renal complications. These findings highlight the need for routine screening of microalbuminuria at the time of diabetes diagnosis and emphasize the potential value of early interventions to prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings and explore additional risk factors associated with microalbuminuria in this population.
Keywords: Glycosylated Hemoglobin, Microalbuminuria, Type 2 Diabetes, Urinary Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio, Diabetic Nephropathy
