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HelpOrder Code LAB1905 C5 Complement, Antigen, Serum
Reporting Name
C5 Complement, Antigen, SUseful For
Diagnosis of C5 deficiency
Investigation of a patient with an absent total complement (CH50) level
Performing Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Specimen Type
SerumOrdering Guidance
The total complement assay (COM / Complement, Total, Serum) should be used as a screen for suspected complement deficiencies before ordering individual complement component assays. A deficiency of an individual component of the complement cascade will result in an undetectable total complement level.
Specimen Required
Patient Preparation: Fasting for 12 hours is preferred but not required.
Supplies: Sarstedt Aliquot Tube, 5 mL (T914)
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Red top
Acceptable: Serum gel
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.
Specimen Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Frozen (preferred) | 60 days |
| Refrigerated | 28 days | |
| Ambient | 7 days |
Reference Values
10.6-26.3 mg/dL
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday
CPT Code Information
86160
Method Description
In this Siemens Nephelometer II method, the light scattered onto the antigen-antibody complexes is measured. The intensity of the measured scattered light is proportional to the amount of antigen-antibody complexes in the sample under certain conditions. If the antibody volume is kept constant, the signal behaves proportionally to the antigen volume.
A reference curve is generated by a standard with a known antigen content on which the scattered light signals of the samples can be evaluated and calculated as an antigen concentration. Antigen-antibody complexes are formed when a sample containing antigen and the corresponding antiserum are put into a cuvette. A light beam is generated with a light-emitting diode, which is transmitted through the cuvette. The light is scattered onto the immuno-complexes that are present. Antigen and antibody are mixed in the initial measurement, but no complex is formed yet. An antigen-antibody complex is formed in the final measurement.
The result is calculated by subtracting value of the final measurement from the initial measurement. The distribution of intensity of the scattered light depends on the ratio of the particle size of the antigen-antibody complexes to the radiated wavelength.(Unpublished Mayo method; Instruction manual: Siemens Nephelometer II Operations. Siemens, Inc; Version 2.4, 07/2019)
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | OK |
| Gross lipemia | Reject |
| Gross icterus | OK |
Method Name
Nephelometry