Publication: Prevalence of Microalbuminuria in Patients of Essential Hypertension and its Correlation with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Carotid Artery Intima‑media Thickness
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Urinary albumin excretion has been associated to cardiovascular events and
increased mortality in hypertensive patients. There is limited information among
Nepalese patients about the implications of microalbuminuria (MA) in the setting of
hypertension and potential cardiovascular morbidity.
Objective
To investigate the prevalence of microalbuminuria in patients with essential
hypertension and its connection with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and carotid
artery intima-media thickness (cIMT).
Method
The study involved 80 hypertension individuals in total. All patients in the study
had basic biochemical tests, routine urine evaluations, echocardiography, and
carotid artery intima-media thickness measurements performed, and the data were
analyzed.
Result
The prevalence of microalbuminuria was present in 37.5% cases of essential
hypertension. The mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was significantly
higher in patients with increased microalbuminuria as compared to patient with
normal microalbuminuria. In addition, a significant positive correlation between
microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy was also observed. Furthermore,
mean carotid artery intima-media thickness was found to be higher in patients with
microalbuminuria (p < 0.001), with 76.7% of the patients with microalbuminuria
having elevated mean carotid artery intima-media thickness. The carotid artery
intima-media thickness had a positive correlation with both microalbuminuria and
left ventricular hypertrophy.
Conclusion
Microalbuminuria assessment in hypertensive patients is an important test for
the evaluation of target organ damage. This study shows that microalbuminuria is
common in hypertension patients, particularly those with left ventricular hypertrophy.
Microalbuminuria was found to be associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and
carotid artery intima-media thickness.
KEY WORDS
Carotid artery intima‑media thickness, Essential hypertension, Left ventricular
hypertrophy, Microalbuminuria
Description
Pathak SR,1 Bhattarai N,1 Baskota D,2 Koju RP,1 Humagain S1
1Department of Cardiology
Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital
Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences
Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal
2Department of Biochemistry
People’s Dental College and Hospital
Naya Bazar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Keywords
Carotid artery intima‑media thickness, Essential hypertension, Left ventricular hypertrophy, Microalbuminuria