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High incidence of complement C9 deficiency in Koreans
Hee Jung Kang1, Han Sung Kim, Yung Kyoung Lee
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. kangheejung@hallym.or.kr
Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science
|June 10, 2005
Summary
Complement 9 deficiency is rare in Western countries but found in 0.049% of Korean outpatients. This suggests considering C9 deficiency in East Asians with low complement activity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Complement 9 (C9) deficiency is common in Japan but rare globally.
- Its prevalence in Korea is unknown despite geographical proximity to Japan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of C9 deficiency in the Korean population.
- To assess the prevalence of other complement deficiencies in Korea.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from 6,159 Korean hospital outpatients were analyzed.
- Hemolytic assays screened for complement deficiency.
- Immunoassays confirmed specific complement component deficiencies.
Main Results:
- Three individuals with C9 deficiency were identified, yielding an incidence of 0.049%.
- This incidence is lower than in Japan but significant.
- No other complement deficiencies were detected.
Conclusions:
- C9 deficiency occurs in Korea at a notable rate.
- Clinicians should consider C9 deficiency when interpreting low complement activity in East Asians.