Objective To investigate the relationship among the levels of microalbuminuria and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with coronary atherosclerotic disease, and the role of microalbuminuria in predicting the vascular endothelial function.

Methods Patients were divided into two groups according to the clinic presentation, one with stable angina pectoris (SAP group, n = 66) and the other with unstable angina pectoris (UAP group, n = 84). Mcroalbuminuria and hs-CRP levels were measured, and the endothelial function was measured by detecting the brachial artery flow-mediated asodilation (FMD), endothelins (ET), and nitric oxide (NO) as well.

Results There were significant differences between SAP groups and UAP group in terms of urinary albumin-to-creatintine ratio (ACR) (0.47 ± 0.24 mg/mmol vs 0.71 ± 0.38mg/mmol, P < 0.01), hs-CRP (0.49 ± 0.31mg/l vs 3.57 ± 2.15mg/l, P < 0.01), NO (57.46 ± 4.07μmol/l vs 44.54 ± 5.15μmol/l, P < 0.05) and FMD (5.96 ± 0.79% 3.30 ± 1.20%, P < 0.05). Using the method of stepwise multiple linear regression and correlation, at the levels of α = 0.10, ACR was related to Lnhs-CRP and NO. The constant of the model is 3.570, unstandardized partial coefficient for Lnhs-CRP is 0.333 (95% CI: 0.138 ∼ 0.527, P = 0.006), NO - 0.320 (95% CI: -1.041 ∼ -0.102, P = 0.032), respectively.

Conclusions microalbuminuria may act as one of the markers to evaluate the vascular endothelial function in the patients with coronary artery disease.