Measurement of hydroxylysine glycosides in urine and its application to spinal cord injury.

A new technique to evaluate the degradation of skin or bone collagen by measuring glucosylgalactosyl hydroxylysine and galactosyl hydroxylysine is presented. The method utilizes an automated amino acid analyzer. Eluents used are lithium buffers, and the color reagent is ninhydrin. Both glycosides elute in 3.5 h. Samples require minimum preparation. Urinary concentrations of both glycosides in ten patients with cervical spinal cord injuries of less than six months duration were higher than in five healthy controls. Proportional increases were different for each of the two glycosides. Variations in the proportional increase of each glycoside indicate different rates of degradation of skin and bone collagen. Repeated evaluations of the two urinary glycosides may help to predict whether patients are likely to develop skin- or bone-related clinical complications.