What is alpha-1-antitrypsin?
What is alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD)?
Can I be treated for A1AD?
Possible future treatments
Further sources of information
What is alpha-1-antitrypsin?
Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a protein, produced by the liver, which is found in your blood stream. Its main role is to protect your lungs from destruction by other proteins called enzymes. Enzymes are found in all parts of the body and are needed for digestion to ensure that chemical reactions in your body take place normally. Enzymes are also involved in areas of inflammation and tissue injury where they occur as a result of cell damage.
What is alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD)?
A1AD is a lack of alpha-1-antitrypsin in your blood. It becomes important only when the concentration in your blood is less than 20 per cent to 30 per cent of what we would normally expect. When alpha-1-antitrypsin levels get this low, your lung struggles to defend itself against destructive enzymes. This means the enzymes can begin to destroy healthy lung tissue. A1AD leads to emphysema – especially in people who smoke. (For more information on emphysema please order our COPD leaflet, for free, using the contact details below)
Can I be treated for A1AD?
There is no specific approved treatment yet. However, if you smoke, it is very important that you stop. This will slow down the development of emphysema.
Possible future treatments
The current approach to A1AD is that, if it were possible to ‘top-up’ the body with protein, the progression of emphysema might be stopped. This treatment is available in many countries, but not in the UK. This is because no clinical trial has been carried out to confirm the effectiveness of this approach. However, the results of such a trial will be available soon. Also, studies of drugs that may be able to repair the lungs are ongoing. Research into correcting the gene that leads to a lack of alpha-1-antitrypsin has begun too.
Further sources of information
Alpha1 Awareness UK (Registered charity 1125467)
PO Box 2866
Eastville, Bristol
BS5 5EE
website: www.alpha1awareness.org.uk
contact:
Adapt project – a useful source of information about A1AD
Lung Function and Sleep Department
ADAPT Office
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
Mindelsohn Way
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2WB
Last medically reviewed: January 2008
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