Urinary Albumin Excretion Reflects Cardiovascular Risk in Postmenopausal Women without Diabetes: The 2011 to 2013 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
BACKGROUND
The objective of the current study was to determine whether there was an association between urinary albumin excretion and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by estimating the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) in postmenopausal women without diabetes.


METHODS
This study was based on data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2011 to 2013. Data on 2,316 postmenopausal women from a total of 24,594 participants was included in the analysis.


RESULTS
The mean FRS was significantly different in each of the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) subgroups, and it increased with UACR. The FRS was 12.69±0.12 in the optimal group, 14.30±0.19 in the intermediate normal group, 14.62±0.26 in the high normal group, and 15.86±0.36 in the microalbuminuria group. After fully adjusting for potential confounding factors, high normal levels and microalbuminuria were significantly associated with the highest tertile of FRS ([odds ratio (OR), 1.642; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.124 to 2.400] and [OR, 3.385; 95% CI, 2.088 to 5.488], respectively) compared with the optimal subgroup. High normal levels and microalbuminuria were also significantly associated with a ≥10% 10-year risk of CVD ([OR, 1.853; 95% CI, 1.122 to 3.060] and [OR, 2.831; 95% CI, 1.327 to 6.037], respectively) after adjusting for potential confounding covariates.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinary albumin excretion reflects CVD risk in postmenopausal women without diabetes, and high normal levels and microalbuminuria were independently associated with a higher risk of CVD.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Hee Jung
HJ
Ahn
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Do Sik
DS
Moon
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Da Yeong
DY
Kang
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Jung In
JI
Lee
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Da Young
DY
Kim
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Jin Hwa
JH
Kim
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea. diabetes@chosun.ac.kr.
Sang Yong
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3902-622X
SY
Kim
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Hak Yeon
HY
Bae
Cardiovascular risk; Postmenopause; Urinary albumin excretion