Abstract
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Determination of Reference Intervals for Serum Complement C3 and C4 Levels in Chinese Han Ethnic Males
by Xue Qin, Yu Lu, Xiaoli Yang, Qiliu Peng, Jian Wang, Cuiju Mo, Junrong Wu, Jingzhe Sui, Yanqiong Liu, Xiuli Huang, Limin Zhai, Shi Yang, Ruolin Li, Shan Li, Xiaobo Yang, Yong Gao, Zengnan Mo
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Background: Clinical laboratory reference intervals (RIs) for serum complement C3 and C4 levels have been established in many countries but there is a lack of published data regarding normal RIs in Chinese population. We attempted to establish RIs for serum complement C3 and C4 levels in Chinese Han ethnic males.
Methods: A total of 1,234 healthy male subjects, aged 20 - 69 years, were collected from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES). Serum complement C3 and C4 levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry. The two-sided 95-percentile RIs were calculated using parametric statistical methods.
Results: Serum C3 values showed normal distribution and C4 were log-normal distributed. The two-sided 95% RIs (mean ± 2 SD) for serum C3 and C4 were 0.656 - 1.52 g/L and 0.181 - 0.561 g/L, respectively. Body Mass Index (BMI) had a significant positive association with C3 (r = 0.342) and C4 (r = 0.258), and age had a significant positive association with C4 (r = 0.117). No significant difference was found either between smoking groups or drinking groups. A significant increase with BMI was found both for C3 (p < 0.001) and C4 (p < 0.001). BMI-specific RIs were also calculated.
Conclusions: The RIs for serum C3 and C4 show a slight deviation compared to previously reported reference levels. BMI-specific reference values should be implemented in clinical laboratories.
DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2013.130514
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