posted
You win the prize, I think.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
OMG - Feelfit posted once with a 40,000 number or something. You won this one hands down. That's a crazy high number. Mine was 12,000 or so.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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Hambone
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posted
Is it true that a C4a indicates infection? Or just inflammation?
I'm thinking of asking for this test just to see where my number falls. I feel like a blowtorch right now.
Posts: 1142 | From South | Registered: Dec 2010
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
Can be Lyme, infections OR mold poisoning.
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BoxerMom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25251
posted
A dubious honor at best, Lou!
C4a is an inflammatory marker that rises in the presence of infection, both acute and chronic. Dr. S in CA has done some research into using the CD57 and C4a as indicators of Lyme.
C4a is also high in Diabetes, a chronic condition with lots of inflammation.
That was interesting to me, because glucose intolerance has been a major problem for me. Maybe my sugar handling will improve if I get my inflammation down.
Hambone
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Sorry for the multiple questions,
but how is it different than a SED rate?
My SED rate last month was 46.
Posts: 1142 | From South | Registered: Dec 2010
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BoxerMom
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posted
SED rate measures inflammation by measuring how fast red blood cells settle out of plasma. A high SED indicates a high number of clumped red blood cells which is indicative of inflammation.
The C4a is a biomarker of inflammation. The 'C' is for complement (a protein). I think there are 30 different complement proteins, and when they are induced, they start a 'complement cascade.' This should be self-limiting (turn itself off) when the inflammation is no longer useful. High C4a in a chronic condition indicates ongoing inflammation.
posted
Is the C4a the same as a "CRP" test? I know the CRP is an inflammatory marker also but wasn't sure of the differences. Thanks
Posts: 51 | From Indiana | Registered: Dec 2009
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feelfit
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posted
Mine was 45,000 and went down to 750 (ish) after treating with IV Invanz for quite some time. I have always taken fish oil both before and after the high results.
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
WOW Feelfit, I had no idea it dropped to 750. Impressive to say the least. Maybe IV is my only hope!
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Hubby has always had a normal Sed rate and Normal CRP. But the first time someone tested his C4a it was 17,744. At the time he did not have any muscle or joint pain or any real indicators of inflammation. Just remembered -- at the time I think he was having some gastritis type symptoms from his untreated bartonella.
This past December -- about 2 1/2 years later -- he repeated the test. This time it was within normal range at 1750 and he always complains that he feels like a truck ran over him in the night. His LLMD said that sounded like inflammation and is the way arthritis patients react -- but all blood markers for inflammation are normal so no one can explain his aches and stiffness.
I do think if any of these 3 tests -- sed rate, CRP or C4a -- are elevated there is probably inflammation in the body somewhere. But not sure that they always find low grade chronic inflammation.
I think actual acute infection is more likely to show as an elevated white blood count. Although some of the markers above may also be elevated.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Hambone
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posted
quote:Originally posted by seibertneurolyme: I think actual acute infection is more likely to show as an elevated white blood count.
Even with Lyme?
My wbc is always normal.
I always thought this was why it's so often hard to diagnose, because wbc's don't see it, and labs look fine.
Loripink, I don't think c4a and CRP test the exact same thing, but I could be wrong.
Posts: 1142 | From South | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Thanks Hambone. My WBC count is normal also.
Posts: 51 | From Indiana | Registered: Dec 2009
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nefferdun
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posted
That is crazy high, and strange that you do not feel it. I forgot that Dr. S told me mine was normal. Whew.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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