Which statement about albuminuria is true?

• A. It predicts cardiovascular events and progression risk
• B. It is not related to CKD progression
• C. Only predicts kidney function, not CV risk
• D. It decreases as CKD progresses

Answer: (A)

Albuminuria signals damage to the kidneys’ filtering units and reflects broader endothelial dysfunction, making it a strong predictor of both kidney disease progression and cardiovascular risk. Higher urine albumin excretion tracks with faster decline in kidney function and more cardiovascular events, independent of the measured eGFR. This is why albuminuria is used alongside eGFR to stratify CKD risk and guide treatment. Treatments that reduce albuminuria, such as ACE inhibitors or ARBs and SGLT2 inhibitors, have been shown to slow CKD progression and lower cardiovascular risk, reinforcing why recognizing albuminuria matters clinically. The idea that albuminuria isn’t related to CKD progression, or that it only signals kidney function without cardiovascular risk, or that it decreases as CKD progresses, doesn’t fit its role as a marker of disease severity and risk.