Diabetes, Vol 24, Issue 10 902-904, Copyright © 1975 by American Diabetes Association
Apparent accelerated aging of human collagen in diabetes mellitus
CR Hamlin, RR Kohn and JH Luschin
The chronologic ages of human subjects were determined experimentally by
enzymatic digestion of tendon collagen samples. Determined age closely
matched actual age for individuals dying with a variety of major diseases.
Juvenile diabetics did not fit this pattern; their experimentally
determined ages were significantly greater than their actual ages. This
raises the possibility of relationships between diabetes mellitus, changes
in connective tissue, and accelerated aging.