Urinary microalbumin as a marker for intermittent claudication.
OBJECTIVE
The urinary microalbumin concentration was analysed in patients with intermittent claudication in order to investigate its usefulness as a marker for intermittent claudication.


METHODS
Urinary samples were collected prior to and following exercise in 15 patients with claudication. The patients walked on a treadmill as far as possible until they were stopped by pain. Urinary microalbumin concentration was measured by a latex agglutination system, and the result was considered abnormal when the concentration exceeded 10 mg/g creatinine. The ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) at rest and the time taken for the ankle pressure to return to the resting level following exercise (ABI recovery time) also were measured.


RESULTS
In seven (47%) of the patients, the urinary microalbumin concentration was elevated to more than 10 mg/g creatinine following exercise, while in eight (53%) it remained normal. The ABI recovery time was significantly longer in the patients in whom the microalbumin concentration was elevated, compared to that in patients without an elevated concentration. The urinary microalbumin concentration following exercise was reduced significantly when the walking distance was decreased 50% or 15%. Following vascular bypass surgery, the elevation in urinary microalbumin concentration was reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of urinary microalbumin as a diagnostic marker for intermittent claudication is limited. However, in cases where the concentration is elevated, it can be used to follow the course of the disease.
Matsushita
M
M
First Department of Surgery, Nagoya University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Nishikimi
N
N
Sakurai
T
T
Yano
T
T
Nimura
Y
Y
D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine*; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
D015415:Biomarkers