Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors significantly reduced albumin excretion rate (falling in 12 of 13 studies vs 2 of 13 placebo groups) in normotensive diabetic patients with microalbuminuria.
Meta-Analysis
Do angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors reduce albumin excretion rate in initially normotensive diabetic patients with microalbuminuria?
ACE inhibitors significantly reduce albumin excretion rate and blood pressure in normotensive diabetic patients with microalbuminuria, though it remains unclear if this translates to postponed end-stage renal failure.
BACKGROUND: Renal disease is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the progression of early diabetic renal disease to end-stage renal failure may be slowed by the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors for reasons other than their antihypertensive properties, so that they have value in the treatment of normotensive diabetics with microalbuminuria. SEARCH STRATEGY: Medline was searched for English language reviews and randomised controlled trials. Personal reference lists, and reference lists of retrieved studies were also used. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials with separate identifiable results for initially normotensive diabetic patients, who received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors for at least one year and were compared with controls. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Meta-analyses were performed on the results of 12 randomised controlled trials with a variety of patient inclusion and exclusion criteria. One further study met all conditions for inclusion but did not provide data in useable form for meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS: Albumin excretion rate fell for patients on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition in 12 of the 13 studies but did so for only two of the 13 groups on placebo. Treatment provided a significant reduction in albumin excretion rate in both insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Treatment with either captopril, enalapril or lisinopril reduced albumin excretion rate in comparison with control patients.A significantly greater lowering of blood pressure was experienced by initially normotensive patients in the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor than in the placebo group. Average glycosylated haemoglobin fell a little in the treated patients and rose in the controls, the difference being just significant. The difference in changes in glomerular filtration rate did not reach statistical significance. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme can arrest or reduce the albumin excretion rate in microalbuminuric normotensive diabetics, as well as reduce or prevent an increase in blood pressure. But, given the drop in blood pressure in patients on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, it is not certain that the reduction of albumin excretion rate is due to a separate renal effect. A direct link with postponement of end-stage renal failure has not been demonstrated. There appear to be no substantial side effects.
Howard G. Lovell (Fri,) conducted a meta-analysis in Normotensive diabetic patients with microalbuminuria. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors vs. Placebo/controls was evaluated on Albumin excretion rate. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors significantly reduced albumin excretion rate (falling in 12 of 13 studies vs 2 of 13 placebo groups) in normotensive diabetic patients with microalbuminuria.