title: The relationship between microalbuminuria and isolated coronary artery ectasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Coronary artery ectasia (CAE), is at least 1.5 fold dilatation of at least one coronary segment due to congenital or acquired causes. In this study, we aim to investigate the relation of CAE with microalbuminuria, which is a marker of endothelial dysfunction shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with CAE detected during routine coronary angiogram (CAG) and individuals with normal CAG findings have been included in our study. Urine albumin levels were measured by immunoturbidimetric method from samples collected in the morning. Patients with an albumin/creatinine (A/C) ratio less than 0.03 were normal and the ones between values 0.03-0.3 were considered to be microalbuminuric. Patients whose A/C ratios > 0.3 had macroalbuminuria and were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 105 patients (60 with CAE and 45 with normal CAG) were included in the study. Serum creatinine, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and homocysteine levels were increased in the CAE group. Urine A/C ratio was 0.036 ± 0.040 in the CAE group and 0.018 ± 0.013 in the controls; the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood homocysteine levels and urinary albumin levels are significantly increased in patients with CAE when compared to individuals with normal CAG. Microalbuminuria and hyperhomocysteinemia, two markers of endothelial dysfunction might be associated with pathophysiologic processes leading to CAE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, SANKO University Medical Faculty, Gaziantep, Turkey. cemrec76@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yolcu
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cagliyan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sercelik
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ipek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Batyraliev
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006710:Homocysteine; D003404:Creatinine