The prevalence of hypertension in relation with the normal albuminuria range in type 2 diabetes mellitus within the South Korean population: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012

Aims The coexistence of hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In some studies, normal albuminuria has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and HTN. Therefore, we examined the relationships between albuminuria and the prevalence of HTN and its control rate in type 2 DM patients. Results We analyzed data from the 2011–2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and 1188 subjects with type 2 DM were included in the study. We divided albuminuria into 3 albuminuria tertiles (T): T1: <4.82 mg/g; T2: 4.82–17.56 mg/g; and T3: ≥17.56 mg/g. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively correlated with the albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) after adjusting for all covariates (P < 0.001). Type 2 DM subjects with hypertension had more ACR T3 (odds ratio = 2.018, 95% confidence interval = 1.445–2.818) than subjects without HTN. Subjects with controlled HTN had less ACR T3 than subjects without controlled HTN (odds ratio = 0.566, 95% confidence interval = 0.384–0.836). When, we redivided albuminuria by <10, 10–30 (high normal albuminuria), 30–300 mg/g (microalbuminuria), and 300 mg/g ≤ (macroalbuminuria), the odds ratio for high normal albuminuria and microalbuminuria was 1.52 and 2.24, respectively in the presence of HTN, however, high normal albuminuria was not associated with HTN control. Conclusions In conclusion, albuminuria within the high normal range was associated with the prevalence of HTN in South Korean patients with type 2 DM.