Transcapillary escape rate and relative metabolic clearance of glycated and non-glycated albumin in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

The transcapillary escape rate and relative plasma disappearance of glycated and non-glycated albumin were measured in 25 male Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients using a double tracer technique. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of their urinary albumin excretion: group 1, normal albumin excretion (less than 30 mg/24 h) (n = 8); group 2, microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/24 h) (n = 9); and group 3, clinical nephropathy (greater than 300 mg/24 h) (n = 8). Six male age-matched non-diabetic persons served as control subjects. The transcapillary escape rate of glycated albumin was similar in group 1 and control subjects (4.7 +/- 2.1 versus 5.1 +/- 1.7%), but significantly increased in group 2 (7.0 +/- 1.7%, p less than 0.05) and in group 3 (7.9 +/- 3.1%, p less than 0.05). The transcapillary escape rate of glycated albumin was slightly lower than that of non-glycated albumin in all groups, but significant only in normal control subjects. No difference in the catabolic rate of glycated and non-glycated albumin was found. We conclude that the in vivo effects of glycation on the clearance and transcapillary passage of albumin are small and not likely to play any significant role in the development of late diabetic microvascular complications.