Serum levels of the complements and circulating immune complexes in chronic hemodialysis patients with diabetes mellitus

To study the clinical significance of complement changes in chronic hemodialysis patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), complements (CH50, C3, C4) and the C3 breakdown products C3d were measured. And to detect complement activating factors, of the circulating immune complexes (CIC) was measureed. The diabetic subjects were divided into four groups: Patients without complications (F, n=9), with nephropathy (DN, n=10), under hemodialysis (DHD, n=10), and normal healthy controls (N, n=42). All of the diabetics belonged to IDDM. Results: 1. Complements (CH50, C3, and C4) in the three groups of diabetics showed higher levels than those in group N except C3 of group DHD. The C3d was significantly higher in both groups DN and DHD than in group N. From these facts, these values in group DHD may be affected by complement changes in the original diseases. 2. The CIC in group F, DN, and DHD was significantly higher than those in the normal subjects. Also the values of CIC in DHD were more elevated than those in group F. So it appeared that the increase in CIC may be related to the progression of diabetic nephropathy. 3. A significant correlation between CIC and C4 (r=-0.676, p