title: Systemic hypertension and microalbuminuria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence of microalbuminuria and target organ lesions and their association in a hypertensive population undergoing treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between April and August 2006, and included 153 hypertensive patients undergoing treatment at the Internal Medicine and Cardiology Outpatient Clinics at a University Hospital in the Southern Region of Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 13.7% (21/153). The clinical and demographic characteristics of groups with and without microalbuminuria were similar. The prevalence of target organ lesions was 48.4%, of which most were cardiac lesions. Target organ lesions were found more often in the microalbuminuria group [76.2% (16/21) versus 43.9% (58/132)] with a significant statistical difference (p=0.006). This was also observed in the cardiac lesions, for both the total population (p=0.003) and the geriatric group (p=0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of microalbuminuria in the study population was 13.7% and that of target organ lesions was 48.4%; a statistically significant association was found. Microalbuminuria is also associated with cardiac lesions, including in the geriatric population.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Prof. Dr. Polydoro Ernani São Thiago, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. stamm@ativanet.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Maria Nunes de Faria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meinerz
authors.forename: Jacqueline Consuelo da
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers