1977 Volume 14 Issue 4 Pages 268-278
It is well known that there is a close connection between acid mucopolysaccharide (AMPS) and arteriorclerosis. Many factors are concerned in arteriosclerosis, therefore the relation between AMPS and arteriosclerosis must be carefully investigated in consideration of each of these factors.
This time, age, glucose tolerance and aortic arch calcification (AAC) were picked up as such factors concerning arteriosclerosis, and were studied in relation to serum AMPS or urine AMPS.
AMPS was estimated according to the method of Kimura in 17 hypertensives, 51 patients with decreased glucose tolerance, 39 patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular attack and 49 other patients, totaling 156. Types of glucose tolerance were classified according to the criterion of the Japanese Diabetic Committee, by administering orally 500ml of 20% glucose solution. AAC was investigated by means of routine dorsoventral chest X-ray phot.
The following results were obtained, considering age, glucose tolerance and AAC:
a) The concentration of serum AMPS, and the concentration and amount of 24-hour urine AMPS are lower in the aged group (over 60 years of age) than in the young group (less than 40 years). Serum AMPS concentration of the middle aged group (40-59 years) stands between the two age groups.
b) Serum AMPS concentration is of higher level in case of the decreased glucose tolerance than in case of the normal one, though the concentration and amount of 24-hour urine AMPS have no difference between the decreased glucose tolerance and the normal one.
c) No difference of the serum AMPS concentration is found between AAC group and non-AAC group, though the concentration and amount of 24-hour urine AMPS are apt to be lower in AAC group than in non-AAC group.
d) There is no correlation between the serum AMPS concentration and the 24-hour urine AMPS concentration nor the amount.
The results are summarized as follows:
The relationships of serum AMPS to aging, glucose tolerance or aortic arch calcification are not uniform, namely, these 3 factors are different from each other in the effect on arteriosclerosis. The same is the case with 24-hour urine AMPS.
Ageing, glucose tolerance and aortic arch calcification have been regarded by many investigators as similar factors to arteriosclerosis. However, according to this biological results from the viewpoint of AMPS, these 3 arteriosclerotic factors do not play the same role in the mechanism of the phenomena of ageing.
