A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF C3, C3D AND FACTOR BA IN BURN PATIENTS IN HONG-KONG CHINESE

A longitudinal study of serum C3, C3d and fragment Ba was carried out in 53 burn patients of Chinese origin whose total burn surface area ra nged from 1 to 45%. Complement C3 was found to be activated on or befo re day 7 post-burn. The sharp increase in C3d suggested an acute infla mmatory response. In addition factor Ba was increased in these patient s, suggesting that the alternative pathway was also activated followin g thermal injuries. The fluctuations of C3, C3d and Factor Ba observed about 1 year after injury suggested chronic inflammation associated w ith long term of outcome of healing in the burn sites. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd for ISBI. All rights reserved.