Profile of complement components in patients with severe burns

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Burn Medicine
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Extensive burns trigger significant physiological responses.
• The complement system plays a crucial role in innate immunity and inflammation.
• Understanding complement component dynamics post-burn is vital for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamic changes in serum and blister fluid complement components (C1q, C3, C4, C5) following extensive burns.
• To compare the levels of these complement components in serum versus blister fluid.
• To explore potential correlations between complement levels and patient prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Serum and blister fluid samples were collected from 12 hospitalized burn patients on admission and serially up to 28 days.
• Levels of complement components C1q, C3, C4, and C5 were quantified using single radial immunodiffusion.
• Patient outcomes and survival data were recorded.

Main Results:

• A profound and immediate decrease in serum complement components was observed post-burn, with simultaneous appearance in blister fluid.
• Complement component levels in blister fluid were lower than in serum.
• Serum levels gradually increased by day 14 but did not normalize for C1q and C3.
• Three patients died between 6 and 24 days post-trauma.
• Significant individual variations in complement profiles were noted.

Conclusions:

• Extensive burns lead to a rapid depletion and altered distribution of complement components.
• The recovery of complement levels is slow and incomplete, with normal levels not being restored within 28 days.
• No direct correlation was found between serum complement levels and the prognosis of burned patients in this study.