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Diabetic patients are at risk of developing nephropathy. Measurements of urinary albumin loss and serum creatinine are the best screening tests for diabetic nephropathy. Urinary microalbuminuria has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular complications. Its presence is therefore a pointer to the need for more rigorous management of all cardiovascular risk factors. All patients with diabetes should have their urinary albumin concentration and serum creatinine measured at diagnosis and at regular intervals, usually annually.
Further information
SIGN clinical guideline 116 (2010). Management of diabetes.
http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/116/index.html
NICE clinical guideline 87 (2010). Type 2 Diabetes: The management of Type
2 diabetes.
http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG87
Diabetic nephropathy is defined by a raised urinary albumin excretion of greater than 300mg/day (indicating clinical proteinuria). Patients with proteinuria should only be recorded as such after urinary tract infection has been excluded.
The practice reports the percentage of patients on the diabetic register who have a record of microalbuminuria testing in preceding 15 months and the percentage of patients on the diabetic register who have proteinuria who have not therefore been tested for microalbuminuria.
Prepared By Jean Keenan