Complement deficiency and disease: An update.
Author
Summary, in English
Complement deficiencies are probably vastly under-diagnosed within clinical medicine. Judging from a Swedish study of C2 deficiency, a deficiency with an estimated prevalence of about 1/20,000 in Western countries, less than 10% of the deficiencies of the classical and alternative pathways and the late complement components are identified in Sweden. C1 inhibitor deficiency and deficiencies of MBL and MASP-2 were not included in the assessment. The introduction of new screening methods should facilitate detection of complement deficiencies in clinical practice. In our study of C2 deficiency (n = 40), 57% of the patients had a history of invasive infection with encapsulated bacteria, mainly Streptococcus pneumoniae. This emphasizes the importance of the classical and/or the lectin pathway in defence against severe infection. Rheumatological disease, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus was present in 43% of the patients. In addition, a significant association was found between C2 deficiency and atherosclerosis. Complement-dependent disease mechanisms are discussed together with the potential importance of non-complement genes for disease expression in complement deficiencies. Analysis of larger patient groups is required in order to establish guidelines for investigation and treatment of patients with complement deficiency.
Department/s
Publishing year
2006
Language
English
Pages
78-85
Publication/Series
Molecular Immunology
Volume
43
Issue
1-2
Document type
Journal article review
Publisher
Pergamon Press Ltd.
Topic
- Immunology in the medical area
Keywords
- Atherosclerosis
- Septicemia
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Complement
- Immunodeficiency
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1872-9142