Do ACE inhibitors prevent nephropathy in type 2 diabetes without proteinuria?

Abstract

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors make a significant difference for patients with diabetes as a whole. If patients both with and without microalbuminuria are included together, ACE inhibitors significantly reduce the progression of the albumin excretion rate (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, based on multiple randomized controlled trials) and the development of overt nephropathy (SOR: A, based on 1 randomized controlled trial). However, studying diabetes without microalbuminuria separately, the effect of ACE inhibitors on progression to nephropathy does not reach statistical significance. This applies to both type 1 and 2 diabetes (SOR: A, based on randomized controlled trials with heterogenous results). Results are contradictory regarding whether ACE inhibition delays new onset of diabetic microalbuminuria.