Evaluation of Microalbuminuria 4 to 6 Years Following Type 1 Diabetes in Children

Objective: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the major complications and a leading cause of mortalityand morbidity in diabetes mellitus. Microalbuminuria is the earliest sign of diabetic nephropathy andit is highly related to glycemic control. Progression of diabetic nephropathy is mostly asymptomaticuntil advanced stages of renal failure. In this study microalbuminuria and its correlation with durationof diabetes and quality of diabetes control (HbA1c level) is evaluated in 50 children with type 1diabetes mellitus.Material Methods: Fifty children 4 to 6 years following the onset of type 1 diabetes, below 20years of age, were enrolled in this study. Twenty four hrs urine was checked twice within 3 to 6months period for microalbuminuria by nephelometry method and values 30 mg/24hrs wereconsidered abnormal. Also HbA1c level and FBS level assessed simultaneously. Mean FBS levelduring the years of diabetes and number of attacks of DKA wereFindings: Fifty children, 4 to 19 years old with mean age of 14.54 ± 3.62 years, 28 (56%) malescompleted the study. Nineteen (38%), 14 (28%) and 17 (34%) children enrolled in this study 4, 5, 6years after the onset of their diabetes respectively. At 1st evaluation microalbuminuria was detected in5 (26.3%), 4 (28.6%) and 6 (35.3%) children, 4, 5, 6 years after diabetes respectively. At 2ndevaluation these values were 4 (21.1%), 6 (42.9%) and 7 (41.2%) respectively. There was nosignificant correlation between HbA1c level, FBS level, and mean FBS level during the years ofdiabetes in microalbuminuric and non-microalbuminuric children.Conclusion: Despite small sample size of this study, microalbuminuria was detected in children even4 years after the onset of diabetes and its frequency increased in children with 5 and 6 years ofdiabetes. We recommend earlier than usual recommendations for microalbuminuria screening indiabetic children.