Association between urine albumin creatinine ratio and high sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality for its association with complications like nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy and cardiovascular diseases. Chronic inflammation plays an important role in the development and progression of late complications of diabetes, and diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major long-term complications of diabetes mellitus. Aims and Objectives: To determine serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) in patients with type 2 DM and to evaluate the relationship of hs-CRP with UACR as markers of early kidney damage. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study which included 95 clinically diagnosed type 2 DM patients of age group 40 to 70 years. Spot urine microalbumin and creatinine were estimated by immunoturbidimetry and Jaffe method respectively, and the results were reported as albumin creatinine ratio (mg/g). The patients were divided into two groups, diabetic with microalbuminuria as cases and without microalbuminuria as controls. hs-CRP was estimated by immunonephelometry method. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 20.0. Data were analysed using student ‘t' test for their level of significance. Correlation between variables was carried out using the Pearson correlation co-efficient. Results: The mean hs-CRP was higher in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria (7.28 ± 3.46) comparing to diabetic patients without microalbuminuria (1.04 ± 0.85) and was statistically significant (p<0 xss=removed P =0.02).> Conclusion: Microalbuminuria was accompanied by elevated hs-CRP level suggesting activation of inflammatory pathways in development of kidney disease. So as a screening method, measurement of serum hs-CRP along with urine albumin creatinine ratio helps in diagnosing early stages of diabetic nephropathy.