Complement factors B, D, C3bBbP and risk of future venous thromboembolism

Abstract

The complement system appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

We investigated the association of complement factors (CF) B, D, and the alternative pathway convertase, C3bBbP, measured at inclusion, with the risk of future VTE in a nested case-control study; 380 VTE patients and 804 age- and sex-matched controls derived from the Tromsø study. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for VTE across tertiles of CF concentrations were estimated using logistic regression.

There was no association between CFB or CFD and risk of future VTE. Higher levels of C3bBbP gave an increased risk of provoked VTE; subjects in Q4 had a 1.68-fold higher OR compared with Q1 in the age-, sex- and BMI-adjusted model (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.08–2.64).

There was no increased risk of future VTE in individuals with higher levels of complement factors B or D of the alternative pathway. Increased levels of the alternative pathway activation product, C3bBbP, showed an association with future risk of provoked VTE.