Background: Microalbuminuria (MA) is a predictor for diabetic nephropathy and mortality of cardiovascular disease. Diabetic nephropathy can be prevented by blood glucose and blood pressure control. Koreans have been found to have a significantly higher risk of type 2 diabetes than Caucasians, despite having normal weights. It is necessary to consider obesity status in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to determine the relationship between MA and hypertension according to obesity status in prediabetes. Methods: This study was retrospectively conducted in 1,183 prediabetes, aged 30-70 years with fasting blood glucose levels of 100-125 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c levels of 5.7-6.4% who health examinees at 16 health promotion centers from 2015 to 2016. Study subjects were classified according to obesity and hypertension. Obesity is defined as body mass index of ≥25 kg/m 2 . Blood pressure was categorized as follows: normal blood pressure, <120/80 mmHg; prehypertension, 120-139/80-89 mmHg; and hypertension,≥140/90 mmHg. We analyzed the relationship between MA and hypertension according to obesity using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: While both prehypertensive and hypertensive subgroups were significantly associated with MA in the nonobese, the hypertensive subgroup was only associated with MA in the obese. In the combined effects of obesity and hypertension, prediabetes with normal weight and hypertension had the highest risk of MA (adjusted odds ratio, 6.39; 95% confidence interval, 2.90-14.10) compared to those with nonobese and normal blood pressure. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that nonobese prediabetes with hypertension would need to be more concerned about MA than do obese prediabetes with hypertension.
