Urinary excretion of beta-hexosaminidase in different forms of proteinuria

The urinary excretion of beta-hexosaminidase was studied in different forms of proteinuria. Patients with tubular proteinuria showed a very large increase in beta-hexosaminidase only in the acute stage of the renal disease, while patients with chronic tubular dysfunction did not show any greater degree of beta-hexosaminidase excretion. The same findings were noted in glomerular disease, in which patients with a very high degree of disease activity showed a marked increase in enzyme excretion. There was a good correlation between enzyme excretion and level of proteinuria. In Bence-Jones proteinuria it seems possible to determine the grade of renal injury caused by the light chain.