Factors Associated with Microalbuminuria amongst Older Patients with Hypertension Attending a Geriatric Clinic in Nigeria

Background: Microalbuminuria has been shown to be a predictor of both renal and cardiovascular outcomes which has assumed public health importance in Nigeria. Early Detection allows for interventions to limit the progression of renal disease with a subsequent reduction in overt complication and by implication, a reduction in the overall cost of health care especially in a resource-constrained environment. Methods: A cross-sectional study using systematic random sampling was conducted to determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria among hypertensive older persons aged 60 years and above attending a Geriatric Centre. Results: The mean age of participants was 70.9 ± 7.1 years. The point prevalence of microalbuminuria was 63.5% with increasing positivity with age. The population with microalbuminuria demonstrated a higher mean SBP compared with those with negative microalbuminuria. They also had longer duration of diseases with a lowe eGFR. Conclusion: The point prevalence of microalbuminuria is high among hypertensive Geriatric population especially among those with other known cardiovascular risk factors. There is a need to incorporate screening for microalbuminuria which may be an indicator for the presence of other cardiovascular risk and end-organ damage in the study area.