Circulating immune complexes in sickles cell-ß- thalassemia

A serum fraction from patients with sickle cell-betao thalassemia prepared by treatment with polyethyleneglycol showed increased amounts of C1q-precipitable immune complexes, i.e., 216 microng/dl (range, 141-266 microng/d) vs 181 microng/dl (range, 152-228 microng/dl) for controls (P<0.05), as well as increased amounts of protein. Levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4 and factor B in the same fraction were within the normal range