ALBUMINURIA AND REDUCED RENAL FUNCTION IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN SOUTHERN PART OF NIGERIA
Albuminuria and reduced renal function in hypertension
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/acs.v10i2.209Keywords:
hypertension, cardiovascular disease, microalbuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, renal functionAbstract
Background: Hypertension is the most important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Other known risk factors of cardiovascular disease such as microalbuminuria and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are prevalent in hypertension. Reduced kidney function and microalbuminuria have been independently associated with a higher cardiovascular mortality risk.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study carried out among three hundred individuals made up of two hundred hypertensives and one hundred normotensive controls between October 2022 and January 2024 at the Delta State Central Hospital, Warri.
Results: The mean age and standard deviation of both groups were 58.23 ± 13.07 years and 43.78 ± 10.68 years respectively. The hypertensives were significantly older than the controls (p < 0.001). The hypertensives included 147 (73.5%) females and 53 (26.5%) males while the controls included 47 (47.0%) females and 53 (53.0%) males. The difference in sex distribution was statistically significant (p = 0.007). The mean urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was significantly higher in the hypertensives than in the controls (1.02 ± 1.42 vs. 0.28 ± 0.16 mg/mmol respectively, p < 0.001). Thirty (15.0%) of the hypertensives compared to 0 (0.0%) of the controls had microalbuminuria. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.046). One hundred and forty-seven (73.5%) of hypertensives had normal renal status, while 53 (26.5%) had impaired renal function (eGFR< 60mls/m2/min). In contrast, 92 (92.0%) of controls had normal results, while 8 (8.0%) had impaired renal function. The difference in the two groups was statistically significant (P= 0.004). In the hypertensive group, UACR and eGFR were negatively correlated (r = -0.141). This correlation was statistically significant (p = 0.046).
Conclusion: Albuminuria and impaired renal function were significantly higher in the hypertensives than in the controls. Albuminuria was negatively correlated with kidney function in the hypertensive group.
