Prevalence of Albuminuria and Its Association with Demographic Factors in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending Teaching Hospital Karapitiya

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) poses a significant health risk, contributing to a range of macro and microvascular diseases that increase morbidity and mortality. Among these, diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular disease leading to renal replacement therapy in approximately one-third of chronic kidney disease patients. Albuminuria is an early marker of kidney damage and indicates DN. Therefore, this study will highlight the importance of early screening and intervention strategies. The objective was to determine the prevalence and associated demographic factors of albuminuria among type 2 DM patients visiting Teaching Hospital Karapitiya. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 448 type 2 DM patients attending the Diabetic and Endocrine clinic at Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, and they were selected applying inclusion (type 2 DM with albumin-creatinine (ACR) ratio) and exclusion criteria (with renal failure, heart failure, and acute febrile illness). Patients with ACR below 30mg/g were categorized as normoalbuminuria, between 30-300mg/g as microalbuminuria and above 300mg/g as macroalbuminuria. Data was collected using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire and laboratory management information system (LIMS) of the Chemical Pathology Laboratory. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 25), and descriptive statistics was applied to calculate the prevalence. Pearson’s correlation and chi-square were applied to assess the association. The majority of participants were female (86.1%), aged >54 years (65.8%), and the duration of DM was 5-10 years (44.7%). The study revealed an overall albuminuria prevalence of 33.3%, with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria prevalence of 31.7% and 1.6%, respectively. However, no significant association was found between albuminuria and age, gender, or duration of diabetes. The study found a significant prevalence of albuminuria, which can lead to complications such as DN. Early screening strategies would be helpful to prevent and or delay the disease’s progression to end-stage renal disease and to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality.