Microalbuminuria as an index of diabetic nephropathy among chronic diabetic patients in Gumel, North Western Nigeria

Diabetes remains a significant health and socio-economic challenge for patients and for health care system. Microalbuminuria (MA) has been indicated as a risk factor for chronic diabetic renal complication. This study aimed at assessing the microalbuminuria level as an index of nephropathy by determining urinary creatinine and albumin among chronic diabetic patients with histor y of five years and above attending the clinic irrespective of age and gender. In this clinical prospective study, 100 chronic diabetic patients and 100 controls were recruited, blood samples were collected for the estimation of Fasting blood sugar by Glucose Oxidase method. Urine samples were also collected for the estimation Albumin and creatinine by Immuno-turbidimetry and Jaffe′s methods respectively. The MA was evaluated as Albumin/creatinine. Student t-test was used to compare the means. Mean of MA in diabetics was (58.9±10.2) while Mean of MA in controls was (19.8±3.0) which is statistically significant (p<0.05). The overall prevalence of MA was 34.00% being statistically significant with age of the subjects while statistically non-significant with gender. However, this study signifies relationship between Diabetes and Microalbuminuria.