Variation of urinary acid glycosaminoglycan and collagen metabolite excretion with disease activity in generalized scleroderma.

Follow-up of patients with generalized scleroderma improving during treatment with collagen biosynthesis inhibitors showed a decrease towards normalization of the elevated urinary values for acid glycosaminoglycans and collagen catabolites. The determinations supply objective evidence of the disease activity as well as of the efficacy of treatment. In the control group, relatively high urinary values for the two macromolecules were found in the second decade of life in comparison with older age groups.