The environmental health of Ocean County

Glycosaminoglycanes (GAG) were measured in 24-h urine of patients with chronic pyelonephritis (CP) and chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) at different stages of nephrosclerosis. These patients developed hyperglycosaminoglycanuria at early stages of nephrosclerosis before establishment of chronic renal failure. There is a positive correlation between the severity of excretion of GAG and leukocyturia in CP patients (p < 0.05). Estimation of GAG 24-h urinary excretion can help evaluate metabolism of connective tissue of the kidneys in CP and CGN patients for early diagnosis of nephrosclerosis, control of the treatment efficacy and the disease prognosis. It can also serve as additional criterion for rating of inflammation. The method is non-invasive, informative, available for clinical diagnostic laboratories.