COMPLEMENT AND CONTRAST MATERIAL REACTORS

Patients showing systemic reactions to intravascular contrast media and patients receiving contrast media without reaction have significantly different mean values (p < 0.05) for functionally determined serum Cl̄-esterase inhibitor (Cl̄ INH) and total hemolytic complement (CH50). The lower concentration of these components in reactors appears in baseline serum samples (as well as after injection), and suggests that many anaphylactoid reactions to contrast media are conditioned by earlier complement consumption, and result directly from contrast-induced activation of complement, and other activation system components in the presence of inhibitor depression. © 1979.