Correlation of glycemic control and proteinuria markers with renal complications in diabetes

Nagaraj BM, Shruthi DP

Pdf Page Numbers :- 268-271

Nagaraj BM^1,* and Shruthi DP²

¹Department of Pharmacology, Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka 572106, India

²Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Government Dental College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560002, India

*Corresponding author: Dr. Nagaraj BM, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka 572106, India. Email: nagaraj.malipatil@gmail.com

Received 17 April 2025; Revised 11 June 2025; Accepted 18 June 2025; Published 30 June 2025

Citation: Nagaraj BM, Shruthi DP. Correlation of glycemic control and proteinuria markers with renal complications in diabetes. J Med Sci Res. 2025; 13(3):268-271. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17727/JMSR.2025/13-47

Copyright: © 2025 Nagaraj BM et al. Published by KIMS Foundation and Research Center. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major global health concern with significant microvascular complications, including diabetic nephropathy, which necessitates early detection of renal involvement using reliable biochemical markers. This study aimed to evaluate glycosylated haemoglobin levels and urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) in diabetic subjects and controls, and to assess the correlation between UPCR in random urine samples and 24-hour urinary protein excretion.

Materials and methods: A total of 103 subjects were included in the study, comprising 62 diabetic and 41 non-diabetic individuals. Detailed medical histories were obtained, and relevant clinical examinations were performed. Biochemical parameters assessed included fasting blood sugar, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, urine creatinine, urine protein, UPCR, and 24-hour urinary protein excretion.

Results: Diabetic subjects showed significantly higher mean levels of fasting blood sugar, serum creatinine, HbA1c, 24-hour urinary protein, and UPCR compared to non-diabetic controls (P < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was observed between fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, 24-hour urinary protein, and the protein-to-creatinine ratio. Additionally, serum creatinine levels were significantly elevated in diabetic patients with a protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≥0.2, suggesting significant renal involvement (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Glycosylated haemoglobin serves as a reliable marker for glycemic control, while the protein-to-creatinine ratio in random urine samples provides a practical and effective tool for early detection of renal involvement in diabetic patients.

Keywords: diabetes; glycosylated haemoglobin; serum creatinine; 24-hour urinary protein; protein-to-creatinine ratio