Terminal complement complexes and anaphylatoxins in septic and ischemic patients
M. Heideman, B. Norder-Hansson, A. Bengtson and T. E. Mollnes
Department of Surgery I, Sahlgren's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Terminal complement complex (TCC) and anaphylatoxin formation in 18
patients with sepsis and 20 patients with acute limb ischemia were studied
before the start of treatment and seven days later. The septic or ischemic
patients had elevated levels of plasma TCC before start of therapy. In
successfully treated patients these concentrations were within the normal
range one week later. Similarly, the plasma anaphylatoxin level was
increased before therapy and returned to the normal range within seven
days. Escherichia coli incubated in vitro in fresh human serum at body
temperature started formation of TCC in a dose-related manner. As
complement will induce cellular lysis via TCC and edema via anaphylatoxins,
anemia and impaired respiration in these patients may be influenced by
increased concentrations of terminal complement complexes and of C3a and
C5a.