A look at the association between MA and Type 1diabetesThe risk of nephropathy development in Type 1 diabetes patients can be reduced by controlling BP and blood sugar level.

The association diabetes duration and age with MA

Researchers suggest that one of the most important ways to manage Type 1 diabetes is by keeping blood pressure and sugar levels in check. Controlling these two factors become even more relevant as the patients age. The researchers also found that diabetes duration and age posed a significant association with MA- microalbuminuria risk after analyzing data received from T1D Clinic Network. Considering that diabetes duration and age are two non-modifiable and important factors linked with MA, it is importance that the patents undergo a routine screening as a way of ensuring their diabetic condition is diagnosed early enough and receive timely Ma treatment, said Stephanie DuBose and colleagues at Jaeb Center for Healthy Research, Florida.

The data analyzed by the researchers was sourced from 7549 participants who were either 20 years of age or younger. The participants had diabetes for a period of not less than a year and their urinary albumin- creatinine ratio was measured 2 years before the analysis. According to the research findings, 4.4 percent of participants/ 329 patients had MA according to their ACR, which was below 30 mg/g. Also, there was no other cause known for their nephropathy condition rather than diabetes. MA frequency was associated significantly with increased duration of diabetes and higher levels of glycated hemoglobin. The highest MA occurrence was observed among individuals having high HbA1c levels and a longer diabetic condition.

According to a multivariate analysis conducted, some risk factors that could lead to MA were identified, which included age, female gender, diabetes duration, reduced body mass index and increased diastolic BP. Individuals, who had diabetes for more than 10 years had a high MA frequency as well as those with HbA1c level of over 9.5%. In contrast with this, the occurrence of MA was infrequent among patients with an average HbA1c of below 7.5 percent regardless of their diabetic duration or age.

Importance of routine screening to prevent MA

High levels of glucose in the blood and increased blood pressure are two modifiable risk factors, which form the basis of preventing DKD- diabetic kidney disease, says et DuBose et al. the researchers said that their results strongly supported previous literature that emphasized the need of BP and glycemic control, especially with the increase of diabetes duration as a way of reducing DKD risk. On the other hand, the research said that diabetes duration and age risk factors are non-modifiable, and it is essential that individuals are screened routinely as a way of identifying MA and having it treated early enough before it escalates into a more serious condition. The research team said that following up their research longitudinally would help in providing important details regarding MA predictive value for subsequent development of renal function impairment.