Microalbuminuria as a Marker of Cardiovascular Risks in Egyptian Hypertensive Patients

Hypertension (HTN) is one of the modifiable atrial fibrillation (AF) risk factors, and management of HTN may reduce the incidence of AF. Microalbuminuria (MAU) increases cardiovascular risk in hypertension.

Aim of the Study: To determine the association of microalbuminuria in Egyptian hypertensive patients and its relationship with AF.

Patients and Methods: Five hundred hypertensive patients without a history of pre-existing kidney diseases participated in this study. A questionnaire was used for collecting information on demographics, lifestyle, and family history of cardiovascular and kidney disease, and spot morning urine samples were collected for albuminuria estimation.

Results: A total of 500 Egyptian hypertensive patients, aged 47 ± 7.3 years were enrolled in this study. Two hundred and ninety three were males and 207 were females. The mean duration of hypertension was 5.6 ± 2.7 years. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.1 ± 2.4 kg/m2. There were 354 (70.8%) patients whose BP well controlled (<140/<90 mmHg), while 146 (29.2%) patients were not controlled. 249 (49.8%) patients had MAU. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender, lower glomerular filtration rates, higher mean BP, higher heart rates and ejection fraction less than 50% had a significant effect on prevalence of MAU with an odds ratio > 1 and P value < 0.05. Two hundred patients had AF, 173 (86.5%) of them had MAU. There was a positive correlation between MAU and AF and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with P value < 0.05.

Conclusion and Recommendation: Screening for albuminuria may be useful in early risk assessment of cardiovascular disease in Egyptian hypertensive patients, identification of a patient at risk of CV events provides an opportunity for early treatment, to slow the progression of disease.