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Biomedical subjects

L D Kerr

Publications and source records attributed to L D Kerr.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Complement activation in systemic lupus erythematosus: a marker of inflammation.

Previous investigators have established that complement activation occurs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Utilizing a new rapid method, an ELISA for C3d as a measure of activation products, 83 SLE plasmas and 24 controls were assayed. A retrospective correlation of C3d levels with the clinical assessment defined 4 subgroups of SLE patients: Group 1--clinically well with normal C3d levels (25%), Group 2--clinically ill with elevated C3d levels (34%), Group 3--clinically well with elevated C3d levels (39%), the largest group, and Group IV--clinically ill with normal C3d levels (2%). In the group of overtly ill patients with elevated C3d levels (Group 2) who were studied serially, C3d levels correlated with disease activity, suggesting that elevated C3d levels may be a marker for active SLE. Further prospective study is required to determine the significance of elevated C3d levels in clinically well patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A new and rapid quantitative assay for complement activation: an ELISA for C3d.

Complement activation occurs in many pathological conditions. Assays to evaluate the presence and extent of this activation may be limited by being qualitative, time-consuming, or radioactive. We have recently devised an enzyme-linked immunoassay that quantitatively measures the presence of the complement activation product C3d in plasma. The assay is rapid: Results can be available within 8 hours of submission. Intra-assay variation was low (4.9%) as was interassay variability (8.7%). This assay was then used to demonstrate that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased levels of circulating C3d as compared to those of normals (p less than 0.001). This assay may be useful to demonstrate continuing complement activation and inflammation in patients, even those without clinical symptoms.

Complement Activation↗