The Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Urinary Albumin Excretion in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE: In the current study we aimed to analyze the relationship between urinary albumin excretion (UAE) with cognitive dysfunction in Turkish Type 2 diabetic patients

MATERIAL and METHODS: Patients with type 2 diabetes attending the Nephrology Clinic of Zonguldak Ataturk State hospital were included in the study. Medical history taking, physical examination, blood pressure measurements, biochemical analysis and collection of 24-hour urine specimens to determine creatinine clearance and UAE were performed. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE).

RESULTS: In total, 195 type 2 diabetic patients whose mean SMMSE score was 26.6±2.2 were enrolled. The mean SMMSE scores of normoalbuminuric (71 patients), microalbuminuric (55 patients) and macroalbuminuric (69 patients) patients were 27.1 ±2.6, 26.7±1.9 and 26.0±1.9 respectively which were significantly different among the 3 groups (P: 0.009). Post-hoc analysis revealed that SMMSE scores were not significantly different between normoalbuminuric and microalbuminuric patients (P: 0.601) and between microalbuminuric and macroalbuminuric patients (P: 0.175). However, SMMSE scores significantly differed between normoalbuminuric and macroalbuminuric patients (P: 0.007). Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that educational status (P<0.0001), age (P<0.0001), presence of cerebrovascular disease (P: 0.043), hemoglobin (P: 0.002), and logarithmically converted 24-hour UAE (P: 0.029) were found to be independently related with SMMSE scores.

CONCLUSION: 24-hour UAE is related with cognitive function in Turkish type 2 diabetic patients.