title: Urinary glycosaminoglycans in different phases of Balkan endemic nephropathy.
abstract: The relationship between glycosaminoglycans and beta 2-microglobulin, glycosaminoglycans and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase as well as the relationship between the chondroitin sulfate/heparan sulfate ratio and SDS electrophoresis in the urine of subjects from the endemic area of Balkan nephropathy was studied in order to establish a method for early detection of this disease. The results show an unquestionable increase in urinary excretion of total glycosaminoglycans in subjects with or suspected of having Balkan endemic nephropathy while the chondroitin sulfate/heparan sulfate ratio was not statistically different between the groups studied. Thus, the chondroitin sulfate/heparan sulfate ratio cannot be used as a cheap and quick semiquantitative method for the diagnosis of early tubular damage in Balkan endemic nephropathy. However, the determination of total glycosaminoglycans in the urine of subjects from endemic areas proved to be valuable additional information helping with the diagnosis of Balkan endemic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Juretić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cvoriscec
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vuković-Holjevac
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benković
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lipovac
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stavljenić
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine; D001449:Balkan Nephropathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000652:urine; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000652:urine*; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin