The predictive value of albuminuria for cardiovascular and renal disease. A 5-year follow-up study of 476 patients with type I diabetes mellitus

A 5-year follow-up study of 476 type I adult diabetic patients previously studied cross sectionally revealed that, during the observation period, 19 patients died and 30 developed cardiovascular or renal disease, such as myocardial infarction (n = 8), cerebrovascular disease (n = 3), amputation (n = 6), and renal insufficiency (n = 13). The patients were registered by one and the most-severe event only. The yearly death rate was 8.0 per 1000, compared with the expected death rate of 2.0 for people with corresponding age and sex in the general population. In patients with renal insufficiency, one also had myocardial infarction, and one had had an amputation. The ages of patients who died, with myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, amputation, or renal insufficiency, were 44.2 +/- 12.7, 41.3 +/- 6.6, 43.7 +/- 13.2, 45.3 +/- 15.7, and 40.8 +/- 9.8 years, respectively. Urinary albumin concentration in a single early morning urine sample was found to be a strong prognostic marker for the development of cardiovascular disease or death. In contrast, age, gender, age at onset and duration of diabetes, levels of blood pressure, serum creatinine, and HbA1c, or presence of hypertension, as well as changes in blood pressure and hBa1c, during the observation period did not influence the survival or incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, blood pressure and HbA1c were associated with increased urinary albumin concentrations during the follow-up period.