Specimen Requirements
Title
Complement C3
Specimen Requirement
Collect SST, red top or green top heparin/1.0 mL serum/plasma. For SST, allow to clot for 30 minutes, centrifuge and send. If collecting a red top or green top, centrifuge and transfer serum/plasma to a screw top transport tube within 45 minutes, indicate sample type on transport tube and send.
Methodology
Immunologic
Stability
Room temp: 2 days, Refrigerated: 3 days, Frozen: 7 days
Reference Range
By Report*
Turnaround
1-2 days
Clinical Use
Quantitation of C3 is used to detect individuals with inborn deficiency of this factor or those with immunologic disease in whom complement is consumed at an increased rate. These diseases include lupus erythematosus, chronic active hepatitis, certain chronic infections, poststreptococcal and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, and others.
Test Code
C3S