Endothelial dysfunction in geriatric diabetic patients: the role of microalbuminuria in elderly type 2 diabetic patients? A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Backgrounds/aims: Microalbuminuria is considered a marker of extensive endothelial dysfunction and is associated with excess of other cardiovascular risk factors. Our aim is to assess the importance of the presence of microalbuminuria in elderly diabetic patients.

Methods: A total of 40 normotensive elderly type 2 diabetic patients of both genders with mean age >65 years were randomly included and were further subdivided according to the presence of persistent microalbuminuria into microalbuminuric and normoalbuminuric groups.

Patients and methods: All patients in both groups were subjected to thorough clinical and laboratory investigations including the assay of serum thrombomodulin (TM) and glycosylated hemoglobin level. Early-morning midstream urine samples were evaluated for levels of beta 2 microglobulin, alpha 1 microglobulin, TM, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG).

Results: There was no significant difference between both groups regarding the clinical demographic characteristics. There were statistically significant higher values for glycosylated hemoglobin percentage, serum triglycerides and serum TM and urinary B2 microglobulin, urinary alpha 1 microglobulin, urinary NAG and urinary thrombomodulin in microalbuminuric group in comparison to normoalbuminuric group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Microalbuminuria is associated with markers of endothelial dysfunction in elderly normotensive type 2 diabetic patients. We recommend incorporation of periodic testing for microalbuminuria in this sector of patients.