[The interrelation of collagen metabolism and fibrosis formation in patients with disseminated processes of the lungs].

The diurnal excretion of oxiprolin with the urine and content of its fractions in the blood serum was determined in 52 patients with different disseminated processes in the lung at the active phase. An increase of the peptide-bound oxiproline and increase of its free fraction was characteristic of all patients. The protein-bound oxiprolin showed major individual changes. Its increase was often noted in patients with roentgenologically visualized fibrosis changes in the lungs, decrease--in fresh granulomatous processes. Corticosteroid therapy for 1-1.5 months produced no effect on the collagen metabolism indices.