title: Association of microalbuminuria with ischemic heart disease in non-diabetic Asian-Indians: A case control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microalbuminuria is a known indicator of atherosclerosis and its association with ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been extensively studied in the diabetic population. The significance of urine microalbumin in non-diabetics, however, is yet to be elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether an independent association exists between microalbuminuria and IHD in non-diabetic Asian-Indians, and the level of microalbuminuria predictive of concomitant IHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted between July 2009 and June 2011. Non-diabetic patients undergoing evaluation for IHD were divided into cases and controls, based on the presence or absence of IHD, respectively. Fifty cases and 50 controls were included, and matched by age, sex, smoking habit, hypertension and body-mass index (BMI). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting lipid profile, and urine microalbumin were recorded for all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean fasting glucose, mean low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and mean urine microalbumin were all significantly higher in cases compared to controls. Urine microalbumin was independently associated with IHD, and microalbumin greater than 12.6 mg/g was predictive of IHD (OR: 13.5; 95% CI, 4.6-39.9; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urine microalbumin is independently associated with IHD in non-diabetics and levels greater than 12.6 mg/g are predictive of IHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sowjanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naha
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Kushal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naha
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vinay R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
keywords: Asian-Indian; ischemic heart disease; microalbuminuria; non-diabetic