Microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients: a prospective follow-up study.

We have studied 46 patients, 30 men and 16 women, with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes in a follow-up period of 6-52 months (mean 30 months). The patients were consecutively entered in the study from the out-patient diabetic clinic. None had urinary tract infections nor proteinuria at entry. Investigations were done every 3 months during the first year and after that every 6 months. At entry 16 patients (35%) had microalbuminuria and a further 16 patients developed microalbuminuria and 16 proteinuria. The systolic blood pressure was higher in men with microalbuminuria compared to men without microalbuminuria. The glomerular filtration rate decreased with time for patients with microalbuminuria without change in plasma creatinine. The C-peptide concentration was higher in the hypertensive patients compared to non-hypertensive and the same was found for the triglyceride concentration. During the observation period the various complications increased in frequency (retinopathy, cardiomyopathy, neuropathy, angiopathy and hypertension) without significant relation to the presence of microalbuminuria or proteinuria. During the observation period nine patients died mainly due to cardiovascular events.