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Metabolic risk factors associated with serum creatinine in a non-diabetic population

  • Renal Disease
  • Published:
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Abstract

Insulin resistance, low HDL-cholesterol and microalbuminuria are important components of the metabolic syndrome as defined by WHO. Insulin resistance and low HDL-cholesterol are also common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), but it is not clear whether they are early or late phenomenons in the development of renal failure. This study examined whether low-grade albuminuria (microalbuminuria), lipoprotein fractions, and the insulin/glucose ratio (IGR)—a surrogate marker of insulin resistance—were related to renal function (expressed as serum creatinine) in persons without diabetes and with apparently normal renal function. The study included 4,131 men and women aged 55–75 years from the cross-sectional Tromsø IV survey (1994–1995). Lifestyle factors, waist circumference and blood pressure were included in the analyses. Gender stratified multivariate analysis was used to assess the relationship between serum creatinine and microalbuminuria, lipoprotein fractions and IGR. Serum creatinine was positively associated with microalbuminuria in men (β = 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66–4.34), but not in women. HDL-cholesterol and IGR were strongly associated with creatinine in both genders (HDL-cholesterol: Men: β = −4.82, 95% CI −6.27 to −3.37; women: β = −2.12, 95% CI −3.28 to −0.96. IGR: Second, third and fourth quartile compared with first quartile, men: β = 0.94, 95% CI −0.63 to 2.51; 2.10, 95% CI 0.52–3.69 and 2.40, 95% CI 0.75–4.04; women: β = 1.91, 95% CI 0.59–3.22; 2.61, 95% CI 1.28–3.95 and 3.20, 95% CI 1.80–4.60). These findings suggest that even early impairment of renal function may be associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, regardless of renal albumin leakage.

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Abbreviations

ACR:

Albumin/creatinine ratio

CKD:

Chronic kidney disease

eGFR:

Estimated glomerular filtration rate

ESRD:

End stage renal disease

GFR:

Glomerular filtration rate

HOMA:

Homeostasis Model Assessment

IGR:

Insulin/glucose ratio

IR:

Insulin resistance

MA:

Microalbuminuria

MDRD:

Modification of Diet in Renal Disease

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Acknowledgements

The present study was supported financially by The Norwegian Research Council, The Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation, Innlandet Hospital Trust and University Hospital of North Norway Trust. We appreciate the superb technical assistance of Åse L. Bendikssen, Jorunn H. Eikrem and Hege Appelbom at the Laboratory of Metabolic Research, University of Tromsø.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

    Jens Kronborg, Trond Jenssen, Ingrid Toft & Bjørn O. Eriksen

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Lillehammer, Norway

    Jens Kronborg

  3. Olav Aukrustsvei 6, Lillehammer, 2618, Norway

    Jens Kronborg

  4. Department of Nephrology, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Trond Jenssen

  5. Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

    Inger Njølstad

  6. Department of Nephrology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Ingrid Toft & Bjørn O. Eriksen

  7. Clinical Research Center, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Bjørn O. Eriksen

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  1. Jens Kronborg
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  2. Trond Jenssen
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Correspondence to Jens Kronborg.

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Kronborg, J., Jenssen, T., Njølstad, I. et al. Metabolic risk factors associated with serum creatinine in a non-diabetic population. Eur J Epidemiol 22, 707–713 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-007-9164-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-007-9164-8

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