Complement component profiles in urticaria, dermatitis herpetiformis, and alopecia areata.

Insignificant variation was noted in the mean levels of the complement components CIQ, C4, C2, C3, C5 and C3PA between various groups of sera from patients with urticaria, angio-oedema, dermatitis herpetiformis, alopecia areata, or hay fever. No deficiencies were found. Elevated C9 levels in chronic urticaria and angio-oedema reflected its nature as an acute phase protein. The assessment of C components in single or sequential serum samples revealed only marginal variations. Similar results were recorded for plasminogen the immunoglobulins, G, A and M. Some evidence is provided for the primary involvement of the kallikrein-kinin system in urticaria.