The complement system and cardiovascular disease:the CODAM study

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Complement factors are part of the immune system and help to remove harmful particles from the bloodstream. This dissertation examines whether complement factors in the blood correlate with the development of cardiovascular disease. We found a correlation between higher complement factors in the blood that can be spontaneously activated and the development of cardiovascular disease. There was also a correlation between cardiovascular disease and low complement factors in the blood that can detect harmful particles. This suggests that complement factors are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease and can therefore be considered accurate predictors