The serum polyol pattern and the urinary polyol excretion in diabetic and in uremic patients

A gas-liquid chromatographic method, based on acetylation of polyols, was applied to a study of polyols in urine and in serum. The profile of the normal urinary polyol excretion was described and the formation of additional polyols was demonstrated by treating samples with sodium borohydride prior to chromatography. In diabetes mellitus the urinary excretion of mannitol and myo-inositol was elevated. In cases of chronic renal failure the retention of polyols in serum was demonstrated and the level of myo-inositol was shown to be increased both in serum and in urine. The design of the experimental conditions eliminated the errors due to the intake of exogenous polyols. The metabolic significance of the findings is still to be determined.