title: Prevalence of abnormal urinary albumin excretion in a population-based study in Spain: results from the HERMEX Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HERMEX is a population-based study which try to evaluate the relative weight of cardiovascular risk factors in the population of Extremadura. This report provides the data obtained about microalbuminuria in a large Spanish population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, cross-sectional, population-based study. A total of 3402 subjects were randomly selected from the Health Care System of Extremadura. The final sample included 2813 subjects (mean age 51·2 years, 53·5% female). Urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in first morning urine sample was analysed. Microalbuminuria was diagnosed when UAER was ≥ 22 in men or ≥ 31 mg/g in women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of abnormal UAER in general population was 5·5% (microalbuminuria: 4·7%; proteinuria 0·8%). Microalbuminuria grew slightly in patients between 65 and 74 years and showed a dramatic increase in subject older than 75 years (P < 0·001). Men showed a high prevalence of microalbuminuria (5·8% vs. women 3·6%; P = 0·006 chi-squared test). Increased UAER was more common in obese subjects (6·7% vs. 2·3%, P < 0·001), hypertensive patients (8·3% vs. 2·3%, P < 0·001) and diabetic ones (10·9% vs. 3·7%, P < 0·001). The multivariate analysis showed a positive correlation of abnormal UAER with body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, plasma creatinine and triglyceride levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low frequency of abnormal UAER was detected in a randomly selected sample of Spanish general population. This finding agreed with the low rates of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity observed in Spain in spite of a high prevalence of classic cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Riesgo Vascular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. nroblesp@senefro.org
authors.forename: Nicolas R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Berges
authors.forename: Jose F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Perez-Castán
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zaro
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Palacios
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Trigo
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tejero
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morcillo
authors.forename: Ana B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers