Microalbuminuria as a marker of kidney damage in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: diabetes mellitus has increased its incidence and prevalence gradually in recent years throughout the world. Currently, diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure are the main causes of chronic kidney failure in its different stages. Nephropathy is one of the most serious complications affecting diabetics. Its onset is usually insidious, progresses without symptoms, and generally becomes clinically evident after 5 to 10 years of diabetes progression. This complication in early stages (incipient nephropathy) can be diagnosed through microalbuminuria, which is currently the first marker that exists to detect the existence of the condition. This review aims to summarize the importance of the determination of microalbuminuria in diabetic patients with the aim of making an early diagnosis of the disease and the control of risk factors.