EFFECTS OF ASPIRIN OR BASIC-AMINO-ACIDS ON COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKS AND COMPLICATIONS IN NIDDM

OBJECTIVE - To determine if long-term therapy with aspirin or basic am ino acids for subjects with NIDDM reduces the severity of clinical com plications and/or reduces tissue levels of markers of glycooxidative d amage RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Subjects with NIDDM were administe red either aspirin (100 mg/day) or a combination of basic amino acids consisting of L-arginine (2 g/day) plus L-lysine (0.5 g/day) for 1 yea r. The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled. The presence and severity of retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy were assessed in all subjects at 4-month intervals, as were serum blood glucose, glyco hemoglobin levels, and presence of albuminuria. Collagen cross-linking and collagen glycation were measured in skin collagen obtained by bio psy at the beginning and the end of the study. Skin biopsies were also obtained from age-matched control subjects. RESULTS - Skin samples ob tained from NIDDM subjects at the beginning of the study had significa ntly increased levels of glucitolyllysine, pentosidine, and hydroxypyr idinium, as compared with age-matched control subjects. Pentosidine le vels were significantly correlated with severity of retinopathy and ne uropathy, but not nephropathy Subjects receiving aspirin, but not amin o acids or placebo, had significantly decreased levels of skin pentosi dine after 1 year of therapy. CONCLUSIONS - It is concluded that 1) lo w-dose aspirin may reduce glycooxidative damage in people with NIDDM, and 2) treatment may need to continue for more than 1 year before clin ical status improves.