Complement deficiency
Complement deficiency
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Complement deficiency

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Complement deficiency

Complement deficiency is an immunodeficiency of absent or suboptimal functioning of one of the complement system proteins. Because of redundancies in the immune system, many complement disorders are never diagnosed. Some studies estimate that less than 10% are identified. Hypocomplementemia may be used more generally to refer to decreased complement levels, while secondary complement disorder means decreased complement levels that are not directly due to a genetic cause but secondary to another medical condition.

The following symptoms (signs) are consistent with complement deficiency in general:

Vaccinations for encapsulated organisms (e.g., Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae) is crucial for preventing infections in complement deficiencies.[medical citation needed] Among the possible complications are the following:

The cause of complement deficiency is genetics (though cases of an acquired nature do exist post infection). The majority of complement deficiencies are inherited as autosomal recessive conditions, while properdin deficiency occurs through X-linked inheritance. MBL deficiency can be inherited by either manner.

Acquired hypocomplementemia may occur in the setting of bone infections (osteomyelitis), infection of the lining of the heart (endocarditis), and cryoglobulinemia. Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with low C3 and C4. Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis usually has low C3.

The mechanism of complement deficiency consists of:

The diagnostic tests used to diagnose a complement deficiency include:

In terms of management for complement deficiency, immunosuppressive therapy should be used depending on the disease presented. A C1-INH concentrate can be used for angio-oedema (C1-INH deficiency).

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