title: Complement activation in systemic lupus erythematosus: a marker of inflammation.
abstract: Previous investigators have established that complement activation occurs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Utilizing a new rapid method, an ELISA for C3d as a measure of activation products, 83 SLE plasmas and 24 controls were assayed. A retrospective correlation of C3d levels with the clinical assessment defined 4 subgroups of SLE patients: Group 1--clinically well with normal C3d levels (25%), Group 2--clinically ill with elevated C3d levels (34%), Group 3--clinically well with elevated C3d levels (39%), the largest group, and Group IV--clinically ill with normal C3d levels (2%). In the group of overtly ill patients with elevated C3d levels (Group 2) who were studied serially, C3d levels correlated with disease activity, suggesting that elevated C3d levels may be a marker for active SLE. Further prospective study is required to determine the significance of elevated C3d levels in clinically well patients.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis*; D015933:Complement C3d; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D015933:Complement C3d