Prevalence of microalbuminuria and its association with pulse pressure in a multi-ethnic population in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The SUNSET Study.

BACKGROUND

Microalbuminuria is related to renal disease, and is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Wide pulse pressure (PP) has recently been linked to microalbuminuria. Studies on ethnic differences in microalbuminuria have shown inconsistent results. It is unclear whether the relationship of PP with microalbuminuria differs between ethnic groups.

OBJECTIVE

To study ethnic differences in PP, prevalence of microalbuminuria, and the relationship of PP with microalbuminuria in three ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

METHODS

Microalbuminuria was measured using the albumin-creatinine ratio in a random sample of 1,394 adults (491 White Dutch, 576 African-Surinamese and 327 Hindustani-Surinamese) aged 35-60 years.

RESULTS

Hindustani-Surinamese 22 (6.7%) and African-Surinamese 24 (4.2%) had a higher prevalence of microalbuminuria than White Dutch 14 (2.9%). The difference persisted in the Hindustani-Surinamese after PP and other potential confounding factors had been adjusted for. The odds ratios (95% CIs) were 2.34 (1.05-5.23) for Hindustani-Surinamese and 1.69 (0.74-3.81) for African-Surinamese. In ethnic-specific models, PP was independently related to microalbuminuria only in White Dutch and African-Surinamese.

CONCLUSION

The higher prevalence of microalbuminuria in Hindustani-Surinamese and African-Surinamese may contribute to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular and renal diseases reported among these populations in the Netherlands. The excess rate in Hindustani-Surinamese suggests an important area for further research. PP was independently related to microalbuminuria only in Dutch and African-Surinamese. The findings may be important to the causal pathways leading to cardiovascular and renal diseases especially in the African-Surinamese group.