Visceral obesity is associated with higher urinary albumin excretion levels in normoalbuminuric type 2 diabetic patients.

AIM To analyze the relationship between visceral obesity and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). METHODS A cross-sectional study of 73 normoalbuminuric (urinary albumin excretion rate < 20 microg/min) type 2 patients was performed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median of UAER (7.5 microg/min). Office auscultatory blood pressure was measured in sitting position after a 10-min rest. RESULTS Waist to hip ratio was higher in the group with UAER > 7.0 microg/min (0.98 +/- 0.08), when compared to the other group (0.93 +/- 0.08, p= 0.01). Waist to hip ratio significantly correlated with UAER (r = 0.28; p= 0.018). In multiple linear regression analysis, only waist to hip ratio was associated with UAER (r = 0.29; p = 0.04). A1c, DM duration and systolic BP levels were excluded from the model. CONCLUSIONS Type 2 normoalbuminuric diabetic patients with higher levels of UAER could represent a group with an elevated risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases.