Blood level of C3 complement component as an aid in the management of acute phase glomerulonephritis.
Ninety-five patients with acute glomerulonephritis, based upon clearly defined pathological criteria, were studied and scored. The scoring was correlated to their levels of blood complement components. Patients with low C3 serum levels had a severe course during the acute phase of their disease, as compared with those with normal C3 serum levels. No such correlation was established with regard to C4 serum levels. It is suggested that C3 serum level may serve as an indicator of the expected severity of the inflammatory process and thus as an aid in the management of patients with acute glomerulonephritis in the initial phase of the disease.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis*; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D014554:Urination
D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4