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Complement components and fibrinogen: correlations and association with previous myocardial infarction
A Muscari1, C Bozzoli, G Massarelli
1Istituto di Patologia Speciale Medica e Metodologia Clinica, Università di Bologna, Italia.
Cardiology
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Serum complement levels, particularly C4, may indicate a hypercoagulable state and predict myocardial infarction. Further research is needed to confirm complement
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Immunology
- Hematology
Background:
- Serum complement levels predict myocardial infarction years before the event.
- The relationship between complement and hypercoagulable states requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if serum complement levels indicate a hypercoagulable state in patients with previous myocardial infarction.
- To assess specific complement and coagulation factors in relation to myocardial infarction.
Main Methods:
- Measured serum/plasma levels of C3, C4, C3a, C4a, C1 inactivator, antithrombin III, protein S, protein C, fibrinogen, and tissue plasminogen activator.
- Compared levels in 31 male patients (40-60 years) with previous myocardial infarction against 33 age-matched male controls.
Main Results:
- C3, C4, and fibrinogen showed correlation and association with previous myocardial infarction.
- Only C4 maintained a significant association in multivariate analysis.
- No significant differences were found in coagulation variables directly linked to the complement system between groups.
Conclusions:
- Complement components C3, C4, and fibrinogen are associated with previous myocardial infarction.
- C4 is a potential indicator of a hypercoagulable state in myocardial infarction.
- Further studies are warranted to elucidate the role of complement in myocardial infarction pathogenesis.