Early Urinary Markers of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Nested Case-Control Study From the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT)

Background

Urinary markers were tested as predictors of macroalbuminuria or microalbuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Study Design

Nested case-control of participants in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT).

Setting & Participants

87 cases of microalbuminuria were matched to 174 controls in a 1:2 ratio, while 4 cases were matched to 4 controls in a 1:1 ratio, resulting in 91 cases and 178 controls for microalbuminuria. 55 cases of macroalbuminuria were matched to 110 controls in a 1:2 ratio. Controls were free of micro-/macroalbuminuria when their matching case first developed micro-/macroalbuminuria.

Predictors

Urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), pentosidine, advanced glycation end product (AGE) fluorescence, and albumin excretion rate (AER).

Outcomes

Incident microalbuminuria (2 consecutive annual AERs > 40 but ≤ 300 mg/d) or macroalbuminuria (AER > 300 mg/d).

Measurements

Stored urine samples from DCCT entry and 1-9 years later when macro- or microalbuminuria occurred were measured for the lysosomal enzyme NAG and the AGE pentosidine and AGE fluorescence. AER and adjustor variables were obtained from the DCCT.

Results

Submicroalbuminuric AER levels at baseline independently predicted microalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 1.83; P < 0.001) and macroalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 1.82; P < 0.001). Baseline NAG excretion independently predicted macroalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 2.26; P < 0.001) and microalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 1.86; P < 0.001). Baseline pentosidine excretion predicted macroalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 6.89; P = 0.002). Baseline AGE fluorescence predicted microalbuminuria (adjusted OR, 1.68; P = 0.02). However, adjusted for NAG excretion, pentosidine excretion and AGE fluorescence lost the predictive association with macroalbuminuria and microalbuminuria, respectively.

Limitations

Use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was not directly ascertained, although their use was proscribed during the DCCT.

Conclusions

Early in type 1 diabetes, repeated measurements of AER and urinary NAG excretion may identify individuals susceptible to future diabetic nephropathy. Combining the 2 markers may yield a better predictive model than either one alone. Renal tubule stress may be more severe, reflecting abnormal renal tubule processing of AGE-modified proteins, in individuals susceptible to diabetic nephropathy.

Index Words: Diabetic nephropathy, advanced glycosylation end products, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, albuminuria