Exploring the Links: Age, Gender, and HbA1C as Predictors of Microalbuminuria in Hypertensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in the Prolanis Community

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) complications are categorized into microvascular and macrovascular types. Hypertension (HT), commonly encountered in DM patients, can exacerbate these conditions and increase the likelihood of developing microvascular complications. Nephropathy, a microvascular complication, is often initially indicated by microalbuminuria (MA). Key risk factors for MA include age, gender, and HbA1c levels.  This study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing secondary data from the medical records of Prolanis (Chronic Disease Management Program) community patients between January and December 2024. The independent variables were gender, age, and HbA1c levels, while the dependent variable was the presence of microalbuminuria. Hypothesis testing was conducted using the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The analysis revealed that both age and gender were significantly associated with microalbuminuria levels. Patients aged under 60 had a 3.9-fold higher risk of microalbuminuria, while males had a 3.8-fold increased risk. HbA1c levels, however, were not significantly correlated with microalbuminuria. Logistic regression analysis further showed that age and gender were not independent predictors of microalbuminuria. Age and gender are identified as risk factors for microalbuminuria in diabetic patients with hypertension, though HbA1c levels did not show a significant association.