Profile of complement components in patients with severe burns

Twelve adults hospitalized with extensive burns formed the basis of the present study. On admission, blisterfluid and serum were collected from each patient and subsequently serum only obtained on 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of hospital stay. Complement components C1q, C3, C4, and C5 were measured in these samples by single radial immunodiffusion technique. It was observed that immediately after the thermal trauma there was a sudden and profound fall in serum levels of the early and late complement components vis-à-vis their appearance in blisterfluid. However, their levels in the latter were significantly lower than in the former. The mean serum levels of these components gradually increased up to the 14th day after burns and thenceforth leveled off, although normal serum levels for C1q and C3 were never achieved. Three patients died between 6 and 24 days after trauma. Individual variations in the complement profile were observed and no correlation between the serum levels of complement components and prognosis of burned patients was seen.