Clinical and biological data of the patients studied
| Parameter | Group 1 (healthy controls) | Group 2 (normoalbuminuria) | Group 3 (microalbuminuria) | Group 4 (macroalbuminuria) | P* | P** | P*** | P |
| Subjects (n) | 11 | 26 | 24 | 18 | – | – | – | – |
| Age (years) | 58 (50–65) | 58.5 (52–61) | 58 (53–62) | 59.5 (52–62) | 0.711 | 0.557 | 0.939 | 0.68 |
| DM duration (years) | – | 8 (7–10) | 8 (5–12) | 10.5 (8–12) | 0.50 | 0.7 | 0.75 | 0.07 |
| BMI | 25.82 (23.80– 29.75) | 32.02 (29.04–34.61) | 32.31 (27.88–37.93) | 36.7 (31.83–43.44) | 0.641 | 0.003 | 0.032 | 0.0001 |
| SBP (mm Hg) | 120 (120–130) | 132.5 (125–140) | 132.5 (125–135) | 160 (150–170) | 0.600 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| DBP (mm Hg) | 70 (70–80) | 75 (70–80) | 75 (70–80) | 87.5 (85–95) | 0.791 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Hb (g/dL) | 13.6 (12.5–14.5) | 12.85 (12–14.1) | 13.5 (12.6–14.15) | 10.67 (10.33–11.67) | 0.209 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dL) | 0.92 (0.78–1.01) | 0.82 (0.76–0.96) | 1.08 (0.99–1.22) | 1.46 (1.34–1.58) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 101.15 (92.50–114.63) | 94.31 (84.33–107.07) | 66.41 (55.10–76.61) | 39.51 (28.75–43.20) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Glycemia (fasting) (mg/dL) | 102 (95–114) | 150.5 (117–205) | 153 (115.5–222.5) | 171 (138–232) | 0.853 | 0.189 | 0.208 | 0.0001 |
| HbA1c (%) | 6.2 (5.90–6.40) | 6.75 (6.30–7.30) | 7.23 (6.8–8.4) | 8.43 (7.93–9.05) | 0.008 | <0.0001 | 0.002 | 0.0001 |
| Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 160 (125–181) | 215 (192–246) | 239 (194.5–291.5) | 275 (244–343) | 0.251 | 0.0002 | 0.018 | 0.0001 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 132 (106–148) | 153.5 (111–193) | 157.5 (119–206) | 168 (144–218) | 0.620 | 0.090 | 0.258 | 0.0001 |
| hsCRP (mg/dL) | 0.85 (0.80–2.78) | 4.31 (2.66–8.02) | 10.66 (9.26–20.19) | 23.85 (19.31–35.72) | 0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0007 | 0.0001 |
| UACR (mg/g) | 16.02 (14.32–24.45) | 27.23 (21.38–28.28) | 76.49 (43.47–116.62) | 944.95 (518.08–1277.11) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Cystatin C (mg/L) | 0.66 (0.57–0.67) | 0.75 (0.68–0.87) | 1.02 (0.96–1.10) | 1.66 (1.47–2.00) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Nephrin/creat (mg/g) | 0.084 (0.035–0.086) | 0.11 (0.10–0.15) | 0.81 (0.40–1.12) | 5.64 (2.82–7.44) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Podocalyxin/creat (mg/g) | 35.6 (28.6–48.3) | 64.95 (58–70.2) | 130.15 (100.7–161.5) | 422.85 (350.60–950.20) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| Synaptopodin/creat (mg/g) | 9.33 (6.71–10.08) | 17.57 (12.7–19.88) | 26.81 (24.17–28.60) | 67.78 (58.15–138.09) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| KIM-1/creat (ng/g) | 43.82 (26–47.50) | 69.8 (59–87.28) | 123.82 (108.93–138.56) | 649.64 (376.42–853.51) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| NAG/creat (UI/g) | 1.66 (1.64–2.07) | 3.08 (2.03–5.08) | 10.45 (9.44–12.25) | 16.85 (16.35–18.95) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| miRNA192 | 2.84 (2.71–2.92) | 2.59 (2.14–2.7) | 1.53 (1.36–1.74) | 0.87 (0.67–0.97) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| miRNA21 | 1.02 (0.91–1.02) | 1.14 (0.91–1.2) | 1.73 (1.49–1.85) | 2.34 (2.16–2.41) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
| miRNA124 | 0.85 (0.77–1.06) | 1.48 (1.24–1.85) | 2.78 (2.57–2.97) | 3.22 (3.18–3.41) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | 0.0001 |
Clinical and biological data are presented as medians and IQR, as for variables with skewed distribution.
P: group 1 vs group 2 vs group 3 vs group 4; *P: group 2 vs group 3; **P: group 2 vs group 4; ***P: group 3 vs group 4.
BMI, body mass index; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; DM, diabetes mellitus; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; hsCRP, high-sensitive C reactive protein; KIM-1/creat, urinary kidney injury molecule-1:creatinine ratio; miRNA, microRNA; NAG, urinary N -beta-D-acetyl-glucosaminidase/creat; Nephrin/creat, urinary nephrin:creatinine ratio; SBP, systolic blood pressure; UACR, urinary albumin:creatinine ratio.