Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and glycosaminoglycans.

The influence of diabetic nephropathy on urinary glycosaminoglycan distribution was assessed in 96 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, 49 female, age: 16 - 64 yrs, median 35; duration of IDDM: 0 - 43 yrs, median 13 yrs) in comparison to 103 healthy controls (57 female, 17 - 82 yrs, median 40 yrs). Glycosaminoglycan concentration of 24 h urine samples was determined by means of precipitation with cethylpyridinium chloride and potassium acetate in ethanol followed by a colorimetric test with carbazole. A marked difference (p = 0.0008) in urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion between patients (19.0, 12.4, 35.6 mg/24 h, median, 25th, 75th percentile) and controls (15.8, 10.4,…