[The connection between the decomposition of mature collagen and the level of natural cytotoxicity in patients with focal scleroderma].

Increased rate of pyridinoline excretion with urine was detected in patients with focal sclerodermia: the ratio pyridinoline/creatinine was equal to 0.094 +/- 0.049 as compared with that of 0.073 +/- 0.049 in controls. Concentration of mature collagen cross-links involving pyridinoline structure in urine of patients with focal sclerodermia did not depend on the patients age and the disease duration. However, this pattern correlated distinctly with clinical form of the disease (0.073 +/- 0.049 in local form and 0.013 +/- 0.017 in generalized form of sclerodermia) as well as correlated reversely with the rate of activity of natural killer cells (r = -0.977).