Correlation between microalbuminuria and urinary copper in type two diabetic patients.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications may be associated with alterations in the plasma, tissue, and urinary levels of some trace elements like copper.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study evaluates the 24 hour urinary copper levels in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria in comparison with patients without albuminuria.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients with microalbuminuria (case) and 40 patients without microalbuminuria (control) participated in the study. Mean (CI 95%) urinary copper levels were 36.14 (14.54-57.74) and 14.77μcg /L (10.17-19.37) in the case and control groups respectively (P = 0.003). There was no significant effect of diabetes duration or HbA1c on urinary copper.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows diabetic patients with microalbuminuria have increased urinary copper excretion, however does not exclude the potential toxic effects of this high copper excretion on the progression of diabetic nephropathy.
Department of Endocrinology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
Afsaneh
A
Talaei
Saber
S
Jabari
Mohamad Hasan
MH
Bigdeli
Heidar
H
Farahani
Mansour
M
Siavash