Abstract

OBJECTIVE—About 20% of diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) detected from the new American Diabetes Association recommendations (albumin excretion rate >30 mg/24 h or estimated glomerular filtration rate [GFR] <60 ml/min per 1.73 m²) may be normoalbuminuric. Do the characteristics and outcome differ for subjects with and without albuminuria?

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A total of 89 patients with diabetes and a modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) estimated GFR (e-GFR) <60 ml/min per 1.73 m² underwent a 51Cr-EDTA B-isotopic GFR determination and were followed up for 38 ± 11 months.

RESULTS—The mean MDRD e-GFR (41.3 ± 13.1 ml/min per 1.73 m²) did not significantly differ from the i-GFR (45.6 ± 29.7). Of the subjects, 15 (17%) were normoalbuminuric. Their i-GFR did not differ from the albuminuric rate and from their MDRD e-GFR, although their serum creatinine was lower (122 ± 27 vs. 160 ± 71 μmol/l, P < 0.05): 71% would not have been detected by measuring serum creatinine (sCr) alone. They were less affected by diabetic retinopathy, and their HDL cholesterol and hemoglobin were higher (P < 0.05 vs. albuminuric). None of the CKD normoalbuminuric subjects started dialysis (microalbuminuric: 2/36, macroalbuminuric: 10/38) or died (microalbuminuric: 3/36, macroalbuminuric: 7/38) during the follow-up period (log-rank test: P < 0.005 for death or dialysis), and their albumin excretion rate and sCr values were stable after 38 months, whereas the AER increased in the microalbuminuric patients (P < 0.05), and the sCr increased in the macroalbuminuric patients (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS—Although their sCr is usually normal, most of the normoalbuminuric diabetic subjects with CKD according to an MDRD e-GFR below 60 ml/min per 1.73 m² do really have a GFR below 60 ml/min per 1.73 m². However, as expected, because of normoalbuminuria and other favorable characteristics, their risk for CKD progression or death is lower.