OTHER NAMES

• Complement and fractions,
• Study of the Complement.

DEFINITION

The study of the factors of the Complement is the determination of the components of one of the factors that influence straight in the inflammation called cascade of the Complement, between these factors there usually decide principally the factors C3, C4, and the activity of the entire complement ó CH50.

The factors of the complement are nine proteins, from the C1 to the C9.

The cascade can be initiated by diverse factors, principally the union of complex antigen - antibody.
The final product of the cascade is the unit of attack of the cell membran, which generates holes in the bacteria but also sometimes in cells of the proper body (auto-immune illnesses).

When the same bacterium infects an individual again the activation of the complement takes place for the called alternate route, from the component C3, and from this activation the unit of cellular attack takes place.

The activity of the complement CH 50 measures the activity that he has left to the cascade for be activating, if this activity is low the fact is that the complement is being already activated by other factors and his capacity is exhausted.

WHY IS THIS STUDY REALIZED?

The complement activity (CH50 or the individual complement proteins) measure themselves to determine if the complement is involved in the origin or in the process of different illnesses. The complement activity measures itself also to control the gravity or evolution of an illness, so much like diagnosis as to verify the efficacy of the treatment.

For example, the patients with Systemic Lupus Eritematoso assets can have low levels of C3 and C4, and these levels of the Complement can follow like an index of the activity of the illness.

The complement activity can change in parts different from body. For example, complement activity in the patients' blood with Rheumatoid arthritis can be normal or developing, but in the liquid to articulate is very low.

The levels of the complement are much diminished in serious bacterial infections, for fungi and for parasites.

SKILL OF ACHIEVEMENT

To realize this analysis to be on an empty stomach is not needed.

The component C3 of the complement is unstable to high temperatures.

It is possible to realize the capture in an appropriate place (consultation, clinic, hospital) but sometimes it is realized in the proper domicile of the patient.

To realize the capture it is needed of locating an appropriate vein and in general there are used the veins placed in the flexura of the elbow. The person entrusted to take the sample will use sanitary gloves, a needle (with a syringe or pipe of extraction).
It will put a tortor (tape of gum - latex) in the arm so that the veins retain more blood and turn out to be more visible and accessible.
It will clean the area of the prick with an antiseptic one and by means of a palpación it will locate the appropriate vein and will gain access to her with the needle. They will release the tortor.

When the blood flows for the needle the sanitary one will realize an aspiration (by means of the syringe or by means of the application of a pipe with gap).
On having finished the capture, it extracts the needle to itself and the area is pressed with a cotton or similar torunda to favor the coagulation and it will indicate him to itself that flexione the arm and the area pressed with a Band-Aid supports for some hours.

The abstracted blood moves to the analysis laboratory in a special pipe for biochemistry, which contains an anticoagulant product. In general more than 10 milliliters of blood are not usually necessary for a standard battery of biochemical parameters.

PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE RISKS

1. The securing by means of a prick of the vein can produce certain pain.
2. The possible difficulty in finding the appropriate vein can give place to several pricks
3. Appearance of a haematoma (bruise or cardinal) in the extraction area, is due usually to the fact that the vein has not closed well after the later pressure and blood has kept on going out producing this problem. Type Hirudoid can apply an ointment to itself ® or Trombocid ® in the area.
4. Inflammation of the vein (phlebitis), sometimes the vein turns out to be shaken, well be for a cause merely physically or why it has become infected. It will have to support the relaxed area a few days and type Hirudoid can apply an ointment to itself ® or Trombocid ® in the area. If the problem persists or appears fever will have to consult it with his doctor.

In these values there can be very small differences for the skill or for proper criteria of normality of concrete laboratories, sometimes in the status of values and other times for the units to which one alludes.

EVALUATION OF THE ABNORMAL RESULTS

The developing complement activity can turn in:

Sharp myocardium infarction The diminished complement activity can turn in:

• Hereditary Angioedema
• Hepatic cirrhosis
• Glomerulonefritis
• Infectious hepatitis
• Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico with affectation renal
• Malnutrition
• Rejection of transplante of organs

TO SEE ALSO

• Antiestreptolisinas (GRASP IT)
• Factor Reumatoide
• Lupus Eritematoso
• Protein C Reactiva

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