The association of microalbuminuria with mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction. A ten-year follow-up study

Our study evaluates the long-term effect of microalbuminuria on mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarction. We followed 151 patients from 1996 to 2007 to investigate if microalbuminuria is a risk factor in coronary heart disease. All patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction in 1996 were included. At baseline, we recorded urinary albumin/creatinine concentration ratio, body mass index, blood pressure, left ventricle ejection fraction by echocardiography, smoking status, medication, diabetes, age, and gender. Deaths were traced in 2007 by means of the Danish Personal Identification Register. Microalbuminuria, defined as a urinary albumin/creatinine concentration ratio above 0.65 mg/mmoL, occurred in 50% of the patients and was associated with increased all-cause mortality. Thus, 68% of the patients with microalbuminuria versus 48% of the patients without microalbuminuria had died during the 10 years of follow-up (P=0.04). The crude hazard ratio for death associated with microalbuminuria was 1.78 (CI: 1.18–2.68) (P=0.006), whereas the gender- and age-adjusted hazard ratio was 1.71 (CI: 1.03–2.83) (P=0.04). We concluded that microalbuminuria in hospitalized patients with acute myocardial infarction is prognostic for increased long-term mortality. We recommend measurement of microalbuminuria to be included as a baseline risk factor in patients with acute myocardial infarction and in future trials in patients with coronary heart disease.