Abstract
Summary
Urinary polymeric glycosami-noglycans (GAG) and glycosaminoglycans oligosaccharides were measured in nine normal individuals and in five quadriplegic patients. In the latter, the excretion of polymeric GAG was two- to fourfold higher and the ratio polymeric GAG/oligosaccha-ride GAG was three- to tenfold higher than the average of normal individuals.
This excessive excretion does not seem to be a consequence of immobilization alone since, in one patient, it was apparent within hours after injury. The previous demonstration that in quadriplegics there is an immediate and excessive degradation of osseous and cutaneous collagen following injury supports the hypothesis that as the collagen begins to be degraded, polymeric GAG from tissues are also mobilized and excreted in excessive amounts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.