Diverse Associations of Microalbuminuria With C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-18 and Soluble CD 40 Ligand in Male Essential Hypertensive Subjects

Microalbuminuria (MA) and low-grade inflammation constitute emerging markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. We investigated whether urinary albumin excretion, expressed as the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), is associated with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-18, and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), in hypertensive subjects. The study population consisted of 108 nondiabetic male patients with newly diagnosed untreated stage I to II essential hypertension (aged 44.6 years, office blood pressure [BP] 148/95 mm Hg). According to ACR values determined as the average of two nonconsecutive overnight spot urine samples, subjects were divided into microalbuminurics ( n = 28) (mean ACR = 30 to 300 mg/g) and normoalbuminurics ( n = 80) (mean ACR