REMISSIONS INDUCED IN HEREDITARY ANGIONEUROTIC-EDEMA WITH AN ATTENUATED ANDROGEN (DANAZOL) - CORRELATION BETWEEN CONCENTRATIONS OF C1- INHIBITOR AND 4TH AND 2ND COMPONENTS OF COMPLEMENT

Abstract

Serum concentrations of antigenic and functional C.hivin.1-INH [serum inhibitor of complement component 1 esterase] increased in patients in whom remissions from attacks of HANE [hereditary angioneurotic edema] were induced with danazol. The levels of C4 were directly related to serum concentrations of C.hivin.1-INH antigens up to a concentration of about half the C.hivin.1-INH found in normal plasma; at this point, the C4 concentrations were in the normal range and no longer correlated well with C.hivin.1-INH concentration. Serum C2 levels correlated less well with C.hivin.1-INH concentration. In normal serum there was a poor correlation between C.hivin.1-INH, C4, and C2 levels, suggesting that C.hivin.1-INH is normally present in excess of the amount needed for normal C4 levels. The increments in serum C.hivin.1-INH were related to the dose of danazol.