Research Article

The Level of Serum Albumin Is Associated with Renal Prognosis in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy

Table 1

Baseline clinical and pathological findings in groups stratified according to the serum albumin level.

VariablesNormal ()Mild group 30-35 g/L ()Moderate group 25-30 g/L ()Severe () value

Clinical findings
Age (year)0.935
Gender (male)60 (69.0%)25 (73.5%)22 (61.1%)22 (71.0%)0.704
Duration of diabetes (months)84 (24-132)48 (24-120)120 (36-156)120 (84-132)0.054
DR (%)34 (39.1%)20 (58.8%)19 (52.8%)22 (71%)0.013
Cigarette smoking (%)40 (46.0%)19 (55.9%)18 (50.0%)16 (51.6%)0.790
SBP (mmHg)0.224
DBP (mmHg)0.354
Hypertension (%)77 (88.5%)29 (85.3%)32 (88.9%)30 (96.8%)0.391
Hematuria (%)39 (44.8%)24 (72.7%)27 (79.4%)22 (71.0%)0.001
Initial proteinuria (g/d)2.18 (0.93-3.66)5.02 (3.29-7.81)5.55 (4.23-8.82)8.4 (6.15-14.42)†‡<0.001
Nephrotic-range proteinuria (>3.5 g/d (%))22 (25.3%)21 (63.6%)30 (83.3%)29 (93.5%)†‡<0.001
e-GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2)65.22 (40.88-91.11)52.14 (39.35-78.30)42.16 (30.15-67.95)43.14 (28.92-59.22)<0.001
Stage 1,2,3a,3b,4,5 CKD (KDIGO)24/24/10/21/8/05/8/10/6/5/02/9/3/13/9/00/7/7/9/8/0
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)1.21 (0.85-1.70)1.44 (1.07-1.67)1.62 (1.19-2.31)1.80 (1.26-2.40)0.001
Uric acid (mmol/L)0.006
FBS (mmol/L)7.38 (5.86-9.10)7.23 (5.88-9.75)7.39 (4.74-10.22)5.73 (4.64-8.59)0.451
HbA1c (%)6.90 (6.10-8.40)7.55 (6.43-8.45)7.30 (6.30-8.70)6.80 (5.95-8.40)0.706
Triglyceride (mmol/L)1.83 (1.29-2.39)1.63 (1.21-2.32)1.63 (1.03-2.46)1.82 (1.26-2.59)0.557
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)†‡†‡<0.001
Hemoglobin (g/L)<0.001
Progressed to ESRD (%)12 (13.8%)13 (38.2%)27 (75%)24 (77.4%)
Histopathological findings
Glomerular class<0.001
 I10 (11.5)0 (0)0 (0)0 (0)
 IIa29 (33.3)1 (2.9)1 (2.8)3 (9.7)
 IIb8 (9.2)6 (17.6)5 (13.9)1 (3.2)
 III27 (31)20 (58.8)26 (72.2)22 (71)
 IV13 (14.9)7 (20.6)4 (11.1)5 (16.1)
IFTA0.014
 05 (5.7)0 (0)1 (2.8)0 (0)
 149 (56.3)15 (44.1)14 (38.9)8 (25.8)
 224 (27.6)17 (50)20 (55.6)19 (61.3)
 39 (10.3)2 (5.9)1 (2.8)4 (12.9)
Interstitial inflammation0.001
 010 (11.5)1 (2.9)1 (2.8)0 (0)
 170 (80.5)26 (76.5)21 (58.3)21 (67.7)
 27 (8)7 (20.6)14 (38.9)10 (32.3)
Arteriolar hyalinosis0.006
 020 (23)0 (0)2 (5.6)4 (12.9)
 141 (47.1)14 (41.2)16 (44.4)15 (48.4)
 226 (29.9)20 (58.8)18 (50)12 (38.7)
Therapy
RAAS inhibitor (%)70 (80.5)28 (82.4)29 (80.6)25 (80.6)0.996
Oral hypoglycemic agents (%)45 (51.7)15 (44.1)5 (13.9)†‡12 (38.7)0.002
Insulin therapy (%)59 (67.8)26 (76.5)29 (82.9)24 (77.4)0.330

Abbreviations: DR: diabetic retinopathy; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; e-GFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; FBS: fasting blood sugar; HbA1c: glycosylated hemoglobin; ESRD: end-stage renal disease; RAAS: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. versus the normal group. versus the mild group.