Evaluation of Proteinuria in Normotensive Diabetics Attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Proteinuria has been generally regarded as an indicator for the degree of glomerular damage indiabetes. The levels of proteinuria correlate well with the extent of renal dysfunction and interventions that retard the progression of diabetes-related renal disease also reduce proteinuria. The aim of this study was to collate information on the incidence of proteinuria among normotensive diabetics attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (UDUTH). The study involved 100 diabetics and 50 health controls. Proteinuria was estimated using Biuret method and fasting blood glucose was done using glucose oxidase method. The study shows that an overall 22% of the patients had diabetes- related proteinuria (17% males and 5% females). The duration of the disease < 5 years (42.0%) and > 5 years (58.0%) had 14.5% and 31.1% diabetes related proteinuria respectively. An average age of <30 years (30%) and >30 years (70%) had diabetes related proteinuria of (17.1%) and (24.6%) respectively. FBG differed significantly (p<0.05) between patients (11.01±1.03mmol/L) and controls (4.38±0.07mol/L). Urinary protein excretion was significantly higher in diabetes (143.7±5.78) than in controls (90.43±5.78). Increased urinary protein excretion was observed (p<0.05) with duration of diagnosis <5 years (228±5.4mg/24hrs) and <5years (264±9.1mg/24hrs). Statistically significant increase in proteinuria (p<0.05) was also observed in males (254±10.0mg/24hrs) when compared to females (194±29mg/24hrs). Given that the large number of individuals with diabetes is increasing; the number of diabetic nephropathies is undoubtedly enormous. This could produce major constraints on health care budgets in the future. This urgently calls for not only good control of diabetes to prevent nephropathy but also to address the larger issue of primary prevention of diabetes, that is, reduction in the prevalence of diabetes itself by aggressive life style modifications.