title: Identifying the determinants of microalbuminuria in obese patients in primary care units: the effects of blood pressure, random plasma glucose and other risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the demographic characteristics, blood pressure and blood glucose and the other related factors that affect the microalbuminuria levels in the obese patients aged 40 and above who applied to the primary care for medical evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population of the research, which was a cross-sectional type, comprised obese patients aged 40 and above who had applied to the community health centers in the center of Malatya. A total of 422 obese patients consisting of 116 males and 306 females were included in the research. The anthropometric measurements of the participants were determined, their blood pressures and their random blood glucoses were evaluated, as well. A microalbuminuria measurement was performed in the urine samples taken from the patients using "Nycocard Reader II" device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of microalbuminuria in patients was found as 31.5%, whereas the incidence of macroalbuminuria was 6.6%. The incidence of microalbuminuria in female patients was 32.7%, while it was 28.4% in male patients; on the other hand, the incidence of macroalbuminuria in female patients was found as 6.8%, whereas this percentage was determined as 7.8 in male patients (p > 0.05). The probability of the incidence of microalbuminuria increased 2.8 times more in those with the diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg and above when compared to those without it (GA: 1.79-4.56), whereas the incidence increased 3.2 times more in those with the random blood glucose of 200 mg/l and above (GA: 1.32-7.84) (p < 0.001). In our study, among the variables predicting the microalbuminuria in obese patients; the cutoff values of the diastolic and systolic blood pressures, the waist circumference were found as >85 mmHg; >130 mmHg; >141 mg/dl, respectively, in male patients and found as >85 mmHg, >114 cm, and 109 cm, respectively, in female patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the tests indicating the cutoff values showed significance (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant relevance between the microalbumin levels of the obese patients via the anthropometric criteria, except for their waist circumference (p > 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, the blood pressure and blood glucose levels of the patients along with their waist circumference that indicated a central obesity were specified as the determinants of microalbuminuria. While the obese patients are being evaluated in terms of proteinuria, the cutoff values of these variables can be taken into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey. erkan.pehlivan@inonu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pehlivan
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taskapan
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Inonu University Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Diabetes; Hypertension; Microalbuminuria; Obesity; Primary care