Urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycans in psoriasis

Urine from patients with generalised plaque psoriasis contained substantially more precipitable glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and uronic acid than the urine of healthy controls. The difference was not related to sex, age, renal function, the hospital environment, or to the presence of arthritis. Successful topical treatment with tar or dithranol, or PUVA therapy, did not affect the rate of GAG excretion. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis of the GAG from patients and controls showed similar patterns dominated by chondroitin sulphate. There was no evidence to favour the skin lesions as the source of the additional glycosaminoglycans and the findings are consistent with the concept of psoriasis as a general disease.