[Free and bound hydroxyproline in patients with diabetes mellitus]

Collagen metabolism was studied in 120 male patients with diabetes mellitus of different standing and severity. Collagen metabolism was assessed on the basis of free and peptide-bound blood hydroxyproline (FH and PBH). Collagen distruction prevailed over its biosynthesis in development and progress of diabetic microangiopathies, that resulted in the increased FH/PBH coefficient. Prolonged multimodality therapy of diabetes vascular complications led to a decrease in the FH level and simultaneous growth of PBH concentrations in the blood. The FH/PBH coefficient is an informative test for monitoring the vascular status in diabetes mellitus; this coefficient may be an indicator of the efficacy of treatment of diabetic microangiopathies.