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Blood pressure elevation drives microalbuminuria

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 25, pages 1–2 (2011)Cite this article

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The association of albuminuria with renal failure and hypertension goes back to the days of Richard Bright. As technological improvements have made it possible to advance from crude qualitative estimates of proteinuria to precise quantitation of microalbuminuria, powerful epidemiological associations with even smaller amounts of albuminuria have been made with the risk of renal failure and cardiovascular events. Ussai et al.1 have provided us with clinical evidence that levels of microalbuminuria currently considered to be normal have a clear association with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP).

The study population consisted of African-Americans in Philadelphia of age 18–49 years, who were relatively healthy although 50% were obese, 28% overweight, 42% had hypertension and 22% had prehypertension. An astonishing 62% smoked and 26% met the definition of metabolic syndrome. Diabetics were excluded, although 9% of the study population was diagnosed with diabetes as a result of this trial. The characteristics of the cohort limit generalization of the findings, but they are still highly pertinent given the risks of African-Americans for renal and cardiovascular disease.

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References

  1. Ussai KE, Keith SW, Pequignot E, Falkner B . Risk factors associated with urinary albumin excretion in African Americans. J Hum Hypertens 2011; 25: 3–10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    B J Materson & S Chandra

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  1. B J Materson
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  2. S Chandra
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Correspondence to B J Materson.

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Materson, B., Chandra, S. Blood pressure elevation drives microalbuminuria. J Hum Hypertens 25, 1–2 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2010.81

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