Albuminuria as a predictor of heart failure hospitalizations in patients with type 2 diabetes

Heart failure (HF) occurs more frequently and is a significant cause of mortality in diabetic patients. The purpose of the current study is to ascertain risk factors that are predictive of HF hospitalizations in type 2 diabetic patients. Longitudinal observational study of type 2 diabetic patients with baseline diastolic blood pressures ≥80 mm Hg and no history of New York Heart Association class III-IV HF or a serum creatinine ≥2.5 mg/dL nested within a randomized clinical trial. The outcome measure of this study was the first occurrence of HF hospitalization over a 5-year follow-up period. Patients with overt albuminuria at baseline had a higher and earlier occurrence of HF hospitalizations than those with micro- or normoalbuminuria (13.6% versus 3.3%, odds ratio [OR]=3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.15–4.60, P