NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Smokers who have diabetes suffer kidney disease much sooner than diabetics who do not smoke. Now, researchers suggest that even those smokers without diabetes are more likely to have kidney problems.

In a study of nearly 8,000 people, investigators found that both light and heavy smokers were more likely to have albumin in their urine, a protein that is a sign of poor kidney function, than nonsmokers.

Those who were relatively light smokers--a pack of cigarettes or less per day--were twice as likely to have the protein in their urine than nonsmokers. Those who were heavy smokers--more than a pack a day--were more than twice as likely to have the problem.

The findings are published in the October 16th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

``Smoking is associated with higher levels of albumin and abnormal kidney function with these effects less pronounced or absent in former smokers,'' according to lead author Dr. Sara-Joan Pinto-Sietsma of the University Hospital Groningen in the Netherlands and colleagues.

However, the researchers note that their study is somewhat limited because it did not determine which study participants went on to have kidney failure or other kidney problems.

(From Yahoo)