Microalbuminuria and mortality in individuals with coronary heart disease: A meta-analysis of a prospective study

AIM: Microalbuminuria has been elevated as an outcome predictor in cardiovascular medicine. However, due to the small number of studies investigating the association of microalbuminuria and mortality in the coronary heart disease (CHD) population, the prognosis value of microalbuminuria in CHD remains under debate. The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between microalbuminuria and mortality in individuals with CHD. METHOD: A comprehensive literature search was performed using Pubmed, EuroPMC, Science Direct, and Google Scholar from 2000 to September 2022. Only prospective studies investigating microalbuminuria and mortality in CHD patients were selected. The pooled effect estimate was reported as risk ratio (RR). RESULTS: 5176 patients from eight prospective observational studies were included in this meta-analysis. Individuals with CHD have a greater overall risk of all-cause mortality (ACM) [rR = 2.07 (95% CI = 1.70–2.44); p = 0.0003; I(2) = 0.0%] as well as cardiovascular mortality (CVM) [rR = 3.23 (95% CI = 2.06–4.39), p < 0.0001; I(2) = 0.0%]. Subgroup analysis based on follow-up duration and a subset of CHD patients were similarly associated with an increased risk of ACM. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that microalbuminuria is associated with a higher risk of mortality in individuals with CHD. Microalbuminuria can serve as a predictor of poor outcomes in CHD patients.