Scientific Reports (May 2023)

Prognostic significance of albuminuria in elderly of various ages with diabetes

  • Subin Hwang,
  • Kyungho Lee,
  • Jeeeun Park,
  • Do Hee Kim,
  • Junseok Jeon,
  • Hye Ryoun Jang,
  • Kyu Yeon Hur,
  • Jae Hyeon Kim,
  • Wooseong Huh,
  • Yoon-Goo Kim,
  • Jung Eun Lee

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32305-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract It remains uncertain whether albuminuria can identify elderly patients with diabetes at a high risk of incident end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) or mortality. 3065 patients (aged ≥ 65 years) with type 2 diabetes were included. We examined the association between albuminuria stages (normoalbuminuria, A1; microalbuminuria, A2; and macroalbuminuria, A3) and the risk of incident ESKD and all-cause mortality for each age group (65–69, 70–74, and ≥ 75 years). A2 and A3 were observed in 25.5% and 9.4% of the subjects, respectively. For A1, A2, and A3, the probabilities of ESKD at 8 years were 1.0%, 6.3%, and 29.7% (P < 0.001 for all), and the all-cause mortality was 13.1%, 27.4%, and 31.7% (P < 0.001 for A1 vs A2, P < 0.001 for A1 vs A3), respectively. Albuminuria stages were independently associated with an increased risk of ESKD [fully adjusted hazard ratios (HR): 3.650 (1.987–6.702) for A2, 10.404 (5.706–18.972) for A3 vs. A1]. The HRs of all-cause mortality were 1.742 (1.411–2.153) for A2 and 1.810 (1.344–2.441) for A3. The associations between albuminuria stages and the risk of ESKD and all-cause mortality were consistent across all age groups. Even microalbuminuria is also a risk factor for incident ESKD and mortality in elderly patients with diabetes.