Differences between plasma and serum complement in patients with chronic liver disease.
Of sixty patients with chronic liver disease, eight with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis had very low serum CH50 but normal plasma CH50. The complement component profiles of these sera revealed markedly decreased C4 and C2 activities and normal C3T (C3-C9) activities. From these results, it is suggested that the early acting complement components had been non-specifically activated during blood coagulation in these patients. No difference between plasma and serum CH50 was found in patients with hepatitis B(s) antigen.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003172:Complement C1 / Q000032:analysis; D003175:Complement C2 / Q000032:analysis; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000276:immunology
D003172:Complement C1; D003175:Complement C2; D003181:Complement C4; D003165:Complement System Proteins