ORIGINAL: Evaluation of Microalbuminuria Level to Determine Diabetic Nephropathy Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients in Zaria, Nigeria

West Afr J Med. July 2025; 42(7): 559-565 PMID: 41370621

Abstract

Background: Microalbuminuria was reported to be elevated in diabetic nephropathy and high levels of this biomarker correlates with progressing nephropathy, decline in e-GFR and consequently renal failure in some patients. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the level of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients and its correlation with renal function.

Method: One hundred Type-2 diabetic patients and an equal number of apparently healthy, age and sex-matched controls were recruited. Urinary albumin and serum creatinine was measured using FIA and Jaffe kinetic methods respectively. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0 with level of significance at p < 0.05. Urinary albumin creatinine ratio (u-ACR) was calculated, serum creatinine was used to calculate e-GFR using Cockcroft and Gault formula; while Mann-Whitney test was used to compare difference between the two means.

Results: The u-ACR (3.15 (7.8, 1.3)) mg/mmol was found to be significantly higher in patients than controls (p = 0.000) while serum creatinine (74.00 (86.0, 67.0) μmol/L was found to be significantly lower in patients than controls (p = 0.000). Pearson's correlation showed significant negative correlation between u-ACR and e-GFR (r = - 0.318, p = 0.001) and between serum creatinine and e-GFR (r-value = - 0.546, p-value = 0.000), while a significant positive correlation between u-ACR and serum creatinine (r-value = 0.281, p = 0.005) among patients.

Conclusion: The concentrations of microalbuminuria was higher in type 2 diabetic patients, and it may be used to assess renal function.