[Amino acid pattern in endemic (Balkan-)nephropathy (author's transl)].

Free amino acids were determined quantitatively in serum from the fasting blood of healthy children from families with patients with endemic (Balkan) nephropathy. A group of healthy children of the same age served as controls. Compared with the boys from healthy families the healthy boys from families with patients of endemic (Balkan) nephropathy had statistically significantly higher concentrations of the following amino acids: alanin, citrulline, isoleucine, leucine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline and serine. The healthy girls from families with patients with endemic (Balkan) nephropathy had statistically significantly higher concentrations of citrulline, cystine, glycine, isoleucine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline and serine than girls in the control group.