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Complement levels in patients with hepatic dysfunction

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Abstract

Total hemolytic complement activity and serum complement protein concentrations were compared in 17 hospitalized patients with normal hepatic function and 16 patients with liver disease due to alcohol (15 patients) or acetaminophen toxicity (one patient). In contrast to the control patients, individuals with hepatic dysfunction had decreased total CH50 levels and low concentrations of total C3, C4, C5, factor B, and the regulatory proteins factor I and beta-1H. These patients also had increased C4d/C4 ratios, indicating classical pathway activation. The level of complement deficiency appears to correlate with either prolongation of the prothrombin time or depression of serum albumin concentration. These results indicate that patients with hepatic disease have severe complement depletion that is probably multifactorial in origin. This impairment in complement function will contribute to the impaired antibacterial host defense of the patient with chronic hepatic disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Denver, Colorado

    Richard T. Ellison III MD, C. Robert Horsburgh Jr MD & John Curd MD

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado

    Richard T. Ellison III MD, C. Robert Horsburgh Jr MD & John Curd MD

  3. Department of Medicine, Denver General Hospital, Denver, Colorado

    Richard T. Ellison III MD, C. Robert Horsburgh Jr MD & John Curd MD

  4. Department of Medicine, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California

    Richard T. Ellison III MD, C. Robert Horsburgh Jr MD & John Curd MD

Authors
  1. Richard T. Ellison III MD
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  2. C. Robert Horsburgh Jr MD
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  3. John Curd MD
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Additional information

This research was supported in part by the Veterans Administration Research Service. Dr. Ellison has a Research Associate career development award from the Veterans Administration.

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Ellison, R.T., Horsburgh, C.R. & Curd, J. Complement levels in patients with hepatic dysfunction. Digest Dis Sci 35, 231–235 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536768

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536768

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