ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) and hyperuricemia with macrovascular atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-seven type 2 diabetic patients were divided into two groups according to the UAER, namely group A with UAER between 20 and 200 microg/min (n=63) and group B with UAER > or = 200 microg/min (n=34); the patients were also classified into hyperuricemia group (group C, n=59) and normal blood uric acid (BUA) group (group D, n=38). The disease course, BUA, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), UAER and arteria carotis intima-media thickness (IMT) were determined in these patients. The relationship of UAER and hyperuricemia with carotid arterial IMT was analyzed statistically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of TG, TC, LDL and HDL showed no significant differences between the 4 groups (P>0.05). The disease course, BUA, UAER, and FBG levels and IMT in groups A and C were significantly higher than those in groups C and D (P<0.05), but no such differences were found between groups A and C or between groups B and D (P>0.05). Arotid arterial IMT was independently correlated to the disease course, BUA and UAER (r=0.201, 0.1999, 0.211, respectively, P<0.05), and a significant positive correlation was noted between BUA and UAER (r=0.221, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Macrovascular atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients is significantly correlated to the disease course, BUA and UAER levels, which can be used to evaluate and predict macrovascular atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients.</p>