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Dr. Donohue suggests more Alpha-1 testing
A question today from the syndicated “Dr. Donahue” column
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife of 55 years died last year from the complications of an illness known as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In her late 40s, she would become unduly winded doing the polka. After many internist and a few pulmonary specialist visits, all of whom prescribed asthma medicines for her, she persisted with a chronic cough. She finally found a pulmonary specialist who tested her for alpha-1 antitrypsin. In one of your articles, you didn’t mention testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency for an asthmatic who did not respond to treatment. I hope you would recommend the blood test.—B.S.
DEAR B.S.: An under-recognized condition that often is mistaken for ordinary asthma or emphysema is the inherited illness alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Lungs have their own cleanup crew. The crew scrubs the millions of air sacs (alveoli) in each lung on a daily basis. Something has to tell it to quit, or it damages the air sacs by overzealous scrubbing. That something is alpha-1 antitrypsin. People without enough of it develop symptoms of emphysema or asthma because of air sac damage.
