Estimation of C3 and C4 level in non-pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia

Abstract EN

Background : Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional disorders in menstruating women and adolescents.

Iron and other micronutrients have immunomodulation functions that influence the susceptibility of a host to infectious diseases.

Complement C3 and C4 are the components most frequently measured which are capable of lysis of bacteria or red cells or can opsonize bacteria or cells so that they are phagocytosed.

Objective : to determine the level of complements proteins (C3&C4) in adult non-pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia.

Patients and methods : A total of 57 young adult non pregnant females were enrolled in this case control study .Serum complements C3 and C4 were evaluated in 32 women with iron deficiency anemia and 25 age matched normal women as a control group.

Measurement of complements (C3&C4) was done by using quantitative determination by radial immune diffusion plates.

Results : the mean ± standard deviation for C3 &C4 were 95.02 ± 27.35 & 21.03 ± 9.72 respectively for the group with iron deficiency anemia while for control group was 112.79 ± 32.46 for C3 & 26.32 ± 8.38 for C4, with statistically significant differences, p-value 0.0297 for C3 & 0.0034 for C4.

Conclusion : adult non pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia have low level of C3 and C4 in compare to normal adult non pregnant women.