Circulating immune complexes in sickle cell-beta zero thalassemia.
A serum fraction from patients with sickle cell-beta zero thalassemia prepared by treatment with polyethyleneglycol showed increased amounts of C1q-precipitable immune complexes, i.e., 216 micrograms/dl (range, 141-266 micrograms/dl) vs 181 micrograms/dl (range, 152-228 micrograms/dl) for controls (P less than 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.