The dr who ordered the test is not my regular pulmo. She said that it could be a contributing cause of my bronchiectasis, but it is not worth treating since I am in the normal range. Emphysema (I don't have--just air-trapping) is what AAT deficiency causes. I gotta admit I wish I had *more* "lung-repair" enzyme though.
I will discuss the results with my regular pulmo in a couple weeks. Here is a pretty comprehensive article. It mentions that people with CF may have lowered levels of AAT regardless of genotype.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=gene&part=alpha1-a
">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bo...ok=gene&part=alpha1-a
</a>
Let me know if you have trouble with the link or google this "alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency symptoms" and the article is the first result.
__________
Melissa, 33, bronchiectasis
I will discuss the results with my regular pulmo in a couple weeks. Here is a pretty comprehensive article. It mentions that people with CF may have lowered levels of AAT regardless of genotype.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=gene&part=alpha1-a
">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bo...ok=gene&part=alpha1-a
</a>
Let me know if you have trouble with the link or google this "alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency symptoms" and the article is the first result.
__________
Melissa, 33, bronchiectasis