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Complement components (C3, C4) as inflammatory markers in asthma
Mohammed Abdel Fattah1, Mohammed El Baz, Ashraf Sherif
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. maf939@hotmail.com
Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|July 1, 2010
Summary
Serum complement factor C3 levels are elevated in Egyptian children with stable asthma, correlating with disease severity. Complement factor C4 levels showed no significant difference in asthmatic children compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatric Allergy
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease.
- Complement system activation may play a role in asthma pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum levels of complement factors C3 and C4 in Egyptian children with stable asthma.
- To explore the relationship between complement factor levels and asthma severity.
Main Methods:
- A case-controlled study involving 60 asthmatic children and 60 healthy controls.
- Clinical assessment, complete blood counts, absolute eosinophil count, and serum C3 and C4 measurements were performed.
Main Results:
- Serum C3 levels were significantly higher in asthmatic children compared to controls (p = 0.01).
- Serum C4 levels did not significantly differ between asthmatic children and controls (p = 0.69).
- A significant positive correlation was observed between serum C3 levels and asthma severity (p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum C3 levels are associated with stable asthma in children.
- Serum C3 levels correlate with asthma severity, suggesting a role in disease progression.
- Serum C4 levels do not appear to be significantly altered in childhood asthma.
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