Urinary albumin excretion in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is more similar to type 2 than type 1 diabetes: Results of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 1995–1997

AimAs it is unclear, whether or not, urinary albumin excretion (UAE) differs between patients classified as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and other forms of diabetes, our study aimed to investigate the distribution of the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) in LADA compared with those in the “classical” types 1 (T1D) and 2 (T2D) diabetes.MethodsWe used data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) (n = 64,931) of 1995–1997. ACR (mg/mmol) was measured in three urine samples from all diabetic patients (n = 1525) and from 5% of the non-diabetic study population (n = 2104). We calculated the geometric means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a general linear model.ResultsThe unadjusted mean ACR in LADA was similar to that in T2D (1.45, CI: 1.23–1.71 vs 1.41, CI: 1.33–1.49, respectively) but was significantly higher than those in T1D (0.99, CI: 0.83–1.19; P = 0.002) and non-diabetics (0.72, CI: 0.69–0.74; P < 0.001). These results remained similar even after multiple adjustments.ConclusionIn this cross-sectional study, the ACR in LADA and in T2D were similar and higher than in T1D. This similarity between LADA and T2D makes it unlikely that the autoimmune processes that operate in LADA promote albuminuria.