Prevalence of albuminuria and associated cardiovascular risk factors: a community cohort in Namwon City, Korea

Abstract

Aim: To document the prevalence of albuminuria and determine its relationship to risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Korean adults.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of adults aged 45-74 years from Namwon City, South Korea. Albuminuria was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)≥30mg/g. The values of UACR were categorized into 5 groups: <10, 10-19, 20-29, 30-299, and ≥300mg/g. Risk factors for CVD and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed for an association with UACR values.

Results: Data were obtained from 10,534 participants (4140 men and 6394 women). Albuminuria was more prevalent among women than men (27.3% versus 22.7%, respectively, p<0.001), and it was also more prevalent among older participants (p<0.001). The prevalence of albuminuria was 36.3% among participants with hypertension or type 2 diabetes, and it was 16.6% among participants without these conditions. The UACR was positively associated with CVD risk factors, including blood pressure, obesity indexes, total cholesterol, and the eGFR.

Conclusions: The prevalence of albuminuria is high in the general population in Korea, even among Koreans without CVD risk factors. Lower UACR values are associated with reduced CVD risk factors.