Method for assessing arteriosclerosis and diabetic nephropathy

Abstract

A method for assessing arteriosclerosis comprising measuring the serotonin level in whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma and rating the serotonin level on such a scale that the lower it is, the more serious the arteriosclerosis is.

1 . A method for assessing arteriosclerosis comprising measuring the serotonin level in whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma and rating the serotonin level on such a scale that the lower it is, the more serious the arteriosclerosis is.  
     
     
         2 . A method for assessing diabetic nephropathy comprising measuring the serotonin level in whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma and rating the serotonin level on such a scale that the lower it is, the more serious the diabetic nephropathy is.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , which comprises: 
 a) measuring the whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma serotonin level in an individual;    b) measuring the whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma serotonin level in a healthy individual; and    c) rating the whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma serotonin level obtained in a) on such a scale that the more it exceeds the corresponding serotonin level in the healthy individual obtained in b), the more serious the diabetic nephropathy is.    
     
     
         4 . A method for assessing diabetic nephropathy comprising measuring the serotonin level in platelet-poor plasma and rating the serotonin level on such a scale that the higher it is, the more serious the nephropathy is.  
     
     
         5 . A method for assessing diabetic nephropathy comprising: 
 a) measuring the whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma serotonin level in an individual;    b) measuring the platelet-poor plasma serotonin level in the same individual; and    c) rating the ratio of the platelet-poor plasma serotonin level obtained in b) to the whole blood, serum or platelet-rich plasma serotonin level obtained in a) on such a scale that the higher the ratio is, the more serious the diabetic nephropathy.