Circulating Immune Complexes, Complement Factors C3, C4, C1-Inhibitor, Alpha-1-Antitrypsin and Immunoglobulins in Asthmatic Patients

Abstract

Sera from 159 adult asthmatic outpatients (extrinsic, n = 82; intrinsic, n = 65 and acetylosalicylic acid (ASA)-sensitive, n = 12) and from 100 controls were tested for total levels of IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE, complement factors C₃, C₄, C₁-inibitor, α₁-antitrypsin and circulating immune complexes. The following results were observed: (1) a marked increase of IgE in extrinsic asthma; (2) a slight increase of IgM, and (3) an equal increase of complement C₄ levels in all three asthma groups; (4) normal mean values of C₃ levels with a significantly larger standard deviation of the mean in all three asthma groups; (5) an equally slight decrease of protease inhibitors, such as C₁-inhibitor and α₁-antitrypsin, and (6) the presence of circulating immune complexes in 22% of extrinsic, in 8% of intrinsic and 13% of ASA-sensitive asthmatics. Circulating immune complexes can be found in all three asthma groups and may correlate with complement deviation.