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A member asked:
Since smoking lowers c3 levels, wouldn't smoking make certain autoimmune conditions worse...because some autoimmune diseases lower c3?
3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Smoking makes worse: Complement is low and systemic lupus because it is activated by the lupus. Smoking activates the alternative complement pathway and lowers some pf the complement compoments. Low complement does not cause connective tissue disease.
Answered 9/1/2013
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No: Lowering C3 within the normal range will not aggravate the disease. Low C3 is a sign of disease, not its cause.
Answered 2/13/2015
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