ALB and Hypertension: According to WHO guidelines, criteria were to involve: insulin resistance/impaired glucose tolerance and at least two additional factors (hypertension ≥ 140/90 mmHg, hypertriglyceridaemia ≥ 150 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol in male (M) patients < 35 mg/dL and in female (F) patients < 39 mg/dL, waist to hip ratio in M > 0.9 and in F > 0.85 and/or body mass index (BMI) > 30, urinary albumin excretion rate ≥ 20 qg/min, or albumin: creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g.