Alteraciones del sistema complemento en pacientes con anemia drepanocítica en estado basal

Se determino la actividad de las vias clasica y alternativa del complemento, asi como la cuantificacion de algunos de sus componentes en 46 pacientes con anemia drepanocitica (AD) (hemoglobina SS), 21 sin complicaciones clinicas y 25 con estas; entre las mas frecuentes encontramos: numero de infecciones, ulceras maleolares, crisis vasooclusivas, hepaticas y aplasticas, considerando como limite un ano anterior a la toma de muestra de sangre. Se demostro una disminucion significativa de la actividad de la via alternativa, factor B y del componente C3 en el grupo de pacientes con complicaciones clinicas. Se observo una correlacion significativa entre el numero de crisis vasooclusivas e infecciones y la actividad de la via alternativa, el factor B y el C3. Estos resultados sugieren que los fenomenos inflamatorios que pueden persistir en pacientes con AD en estado basal, fundamentalmente aquellos con historia anterior de complicaciones clinicas, pueden provocar alteraciones en la actividad del complemento. The activity of the classic and alternative complement pathways, as well as the quantitation of some of their components was determined in 46 patients with sickle cell anemia (haemoglobin SS), 21 with no clinical complications and 25 with them. Among the most frequent complications we found: number of infections, malleolar ulcers, and vaso-occlusive, hepatic and aplastic crises. A year previous to the blood sample taking was considered as the limit. A significant reduction of the activity of the alternative pathway, factor B and component C3 was proved in the group of patients with clinical complications. A marked correlation was observed between the number of vaso-occlusive crises and infections and the activity of the alternative pathway, factor B and complement C3. These results suggest that the inflammatory phenomena that may persist among patients with basal sickle cell anemia, mainly those with prior history of clinical complications, may produce alterations in the complement activity.