Factors affecting levels of urinary albumin excretion in the general population of Spain: the [email protected] study

The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of urinary ACR (albumin/creatinine ratio) >30 mg/g and the associated clinical and environmental factors in a representative sample of the population of Spain. [email protected] study is a national, cross-sectional population-based survey conducted in 2009–2010. Clinical, metabolic, socio-demographic, anthropometric data and information about lifestyle habit were collected. Those subjects without KDM (known diabetes mellitus) were given an OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test). Albumin and creatinine were measured in a urinary sample and ACR was calculated. The population prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g was 7.65% (adjusted for sex and age). The prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g increased with age (P<0.001). Subjects with carbohydrate metabolism disorders had a greater prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g but after being adjusted for age, sex and hypertension, was significant only in those subjects with UKDM (unknown diabetes mellitus) {OR (odd ratio), 2.07 [95% CI (confidence interval), 1.38–3.09]; P<0.001] and KDM [OR, 3.55 (95% CI, 2.63–4.80); P<0.001]. Prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g was associated with hypertension [OR, 1.48 (95% CI, 1.12–1.95); P=0.001], HOMA-IR (homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) [OR, 1.47 (95% CI, 1.13–1.92); P≤0.01], metabolic syndrome [OR, 2.17 (95% CI, 1.72–2.72); P<0.001], smoking [OR, 1.40 (95% CI, 1.06–1.83); P≤0.05], physical activity [OR, 0.68 (95% CI, 0.54–0.88); P≤0.01] and consumption of fish [OR, 0.38 (95% CI, 0.18–0.78); P≤0.01]. This is the first study that reports the prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g in the Spanish population. The association between clinical variables and other potentially modifiable environmental variables contribute jointly, and sometimes interactively, to the explanation of prevalence of ACR >30 mg/g. Many of these risk factors are susceptible to intervention.