Complement component consumption in sepsis correlates better with hemostatic system parameters than with inflammatory biomarkers

Abstract Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate the role of C3 and C4 complement components in prediction of sepsis outcome. The secondary aim was to determine relationship between complement components and other inflammatory parameters, and parameters of hemostasis. Methods One-hundred-thirty-seven patients with sepsis (Sepsis-3 criteria) were included in the study. Routine laboratory markers, predictive APACHEII and SOFA scores, concentrations of C3 and C4, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen, antithrombin (AT), protein C (PC), protein S (PS), endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), thrombomodulin, and D-dimer were available. Concentrations of C3 and C4 were correlated with the disease outcome, predictive scores, inflammatory markers and parameters of hemostasis. Statistical analysis was performed using the non-parametric approach and significance was set at p  Results A significant depletion of the complement was observed in non-survivors (AUCROC C3  = 0.692, p C3 C4  = 0.672, p C4  = 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation of C3and C4with APACHEII and SOFA (C3-APACHEII ρ = −0.364, p = 0.011, C3-SOFA ρ = −0.460, p  Conclusion In septic patients with poorer outcome, a significant depletion of the complement system was observed. Concentrations of complement components demonstrated stronger correlations with coagulation parameters than with inflammatory biomarkers.