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Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessments such as St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) are often used as outcome measures to evaluate patient-perceived changes in health status among individuals with lung disease. Several factors have been linked to deterioration in SGRQ, including symptoms (dyspnea, wheezing) and exercise intolerance. Whether these findings apply to individuals with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains incompletely studied. This longitudinal study examines the trajectory of SGRQ scores in a cohort of United States individuals with AATD-associated lung disease and defines factors associated with longitudinal change., Methods: Individuals with AATD-associated lung disease enrolled in AlphaNet, a disease management program, who had ≥3 SGRQ measurements collected between 2009 and 2019, and baseline data for clinically important variables were included in these analyses. Data collected after lung transplants were excluded. Mixed-effects model analyses were used to evaluate the changes in SGRQ total and subscale scores over time and by modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Scale, use of oxygen, age, sex, productive cough, and exacerbation frequency at baseline. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the potential effect of survivor bias., Results: Participants (n=2456, mean age 57.1±9.9 years, 47% female) had a mean SGRQ total score of 44.7±18.9 at baseline, 48% used oxygen regularly, and 55% had ≥2 exacerbations per year. The median length of follow-up was 6 (IQR 3-9) years. The SGRQ total score and subscales remained stable throughout the observation period. Age, mMRC categories, presence or absence of productive cough, frequency of exacerbations, and use of oxygen at baseline were significantly associated with the rate of change of SGRQ total (p<0.0001)., Conclusion: We observed long-term stability in HRQoL and an association between the rate of change in SGRQ and baseline mMRC, exacerbation frequency, productive cough, and use of oxygen in this cohort of individuals with AATD-associated lung disease., Competing Interests: Dr Radmila Choate reports research support for AlphaNet. Dr Kristen Holm is affiliated with AlphaNet and reports personal fees from AlphaNet, outside the submitted work. Dr Robert Sandhaus is affiliated with AlphaNet and reports contract payments to AlphaNet, Inc. for Disease Management Services from Grifols and CSL Behring; grants to AlphaNet for Disease Management Services from Takeda, grants from Vertex for investigations in multicenter clinical trial at National Jewish Health and Inhibrx. In addition, he is also the data monitoring committee member for Takeda Alpha-1 liver therapy trial, advisory committee member for Grifols, CSL Behring, Beam, Kooro Bio, Intellia, ADARx, ARespo, Evolve, and Vertex. Some of these companies paid travel expenses. Dr David Mannino reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Regeneron, and Genentech, outside the submitted work. Dr Charlie Strange is a medical director of AlphaNet and reports personal fees and/or non-financial support from AlphaNet and Inhibrx. He also reports grants/personal fees from Grifols, Takeda, CSL Behring, Dicerna, from Inhibrx, and Vertex, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Choate et al.) more...

Aim: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an autosomal co-dominant condition that predisposes individuals to early-onset emphysema. As with COPD, AATD-COPD is associated with pulmonary exacerbations, which impacts on overall mortality and quality of life. Though there is evidence that COPD is associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), it is unclear if this is true for patients with AATD-COPD., Methods: Prevalence of cardiovascular disease was determined in two separate severe AATD cohorts: AlphaNet, USA and the Birmingham AATD registry, UK. All patients had preexisting lung disease. Cardiovascular disease was defined as presence of any of the following: heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and myocardial infarction. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the impact of prior cardiovascular disease and frequent exacerbator phenotype on risk of future MACE., Results: Out of 3493 patients with severe AATD, 14.7% had prior cardiovascular disease, including stroke (2.3%), myocardial infarction (2.2%), and heart failure (2.5%). Frequent exacerbators were more likely to have preexisting cardiovascular disease compared with those with one or no exacerbations in the preceding year (63% vs 44.8%, p = 0.001). There was increased risk of future MACE in frequent exacerbators (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.75), former and current smokers (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.02, p = 0.026, and HR 4.04, 95% CI 1.44 to 11.32, p = 0.008, respectively), and those with prior cardiovascular disease (HR 3.81, 95% CI 2.60 to 5.58, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In severe AATD-COPD, MACE are associated with an increased exacerbation frequency, previous cardiovascular disease, and a history of smoking., Competing Interests: PE has received speaker fees from Chiesi, GSK, and AstraZeneca. AT has had grants and/or honoraria from AstraZeneca, GSK, Chiesi, CSLBehring, Vertex, and Grifols. KEH has received consulting income from AlphaNet. RS is employed by AlphaNet, reports personal fees from Grifols and CSL Behring, non-financial support from Inhibrx and Arrowhead, and grants from Matrx, outside the submitted work. EB, RC, and MN have no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Ellis et al.) more...

Purpose: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a rare hereditary condition characterized by decreased serum alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) levels. We aim to identify AATD in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, or asthma and to report the frequency of AAT variants in Turkey., Patients and Methods: This non-interventional, multicenter, prospective study was conducted between October 2021 and June 2022. Adult patients with COPD, bronchiectasis, asthma, liver symptoms, or family members with AATD were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics, pulmonary diagnosis, respiratory symptoms, and AAT serum levels were assessed. Whole blood samples were collected as dried blood spots, and the most common AATD mutations were simultaneously tested by allele-specific genotyping., Results: A total of 1088 patients, mainly diagnosed with COPD (92.7%) and shortness of breath (78.7%), were assessed. Fifty-one (5%) were found to have AATD mutations. Fifteen (29.4%) patients had Pi*S or Pi*Z mutations, whereas 36 (70.6%) patients carried rare alleles Pi*M malton (n=18, 35.3% of mutations), Pi*I (n=8, 16%), Pi*P lowell (n=7, 14%), Pi*M heerlen (n=2, 4%), and Pi*S iiyama (n=1, 2%). The most common heterozygous combinations were Pi*M/Z (n=12, 24%), and Pi*M/M malton (n=11, 22%). Ten patients with severe AATD due to two deficiency alleles were identified, two with the Pi*Z/Z genotype, four with the genotype Pi*M malton/M malton, three with Pi*Z/M malton, and one with Pi*Z/M heerlen., Conclusion: Our results identified AATD mutations as a genetic-based contributor to lung disease in patients with COPD or bronchiectasis and assessed their frequency in a population of Turkish patients., Competing Interests: AN and BD are full-time employees of Grifols. DK reports honoraria paid to her institution, as speaker, from AstraZeneca, Abdi İbrahim, Novartis and Grifols, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare for this work., (© 2023 Tural Onur et al.) more...

Purpose: Administration of exogenous alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is the only specific therapy for the management of pulmonary morbidity in patients with AAT deficiency. It requires weekly or biweekly intravenous infusions, which may impact patient independence and quality of life. Self-administration of AAT therapy is an alternative to reduce the burden for patients who require AAT therapy. We presented herein experts' recommendations for the implementation of a program for the self-administration of AAT., Methods: This project was conducted using a modified nominal group technique and was undertaken in two online meetings involving the participation of 25 experts: specialists in pulmonology (n=17), nurses (n=5) and hospital pharmacists (n=3)., Results: The following issues were discussed, and several recommendations were agreed upon on the following topics: a) patient profile and clinical evaluation, establishing selection criteria that should include clinical as well as social criteria; b) role of health care professionals, suggested roles for specialists in pulmonology, nurses, and hospital pharmacists; c) training by the nurse, including recommendations before initiating the training and the content of the training sessions; and d) logistic issues and follow-up, adherence, and patient support., Conclusion: We expect this proposal to increase awareness of this therapeutic alternative and facilitate the implementation of self-administration programs, thus contributing to optimizing the patient experience with AAT therapy. Further research on the outcomes of these programs, especially from the patient perspective, will also help to improve their design and implementation., Competing Interests: MT-D: has received consulting fees from CSL Behring and Grifols; payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speaker bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from CSL Behring and Grifols; and support for attending meetings and/or travel from CSL Behring, Grifols and Chiesi. JLL-C: has received honoraria during the last 3 years for lecturing, scientific advice, participation in clinical studies or writing for publications from AstraZeneca, Bial, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL Behring, Ferrer, Gebro, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Menarini, Megalabs, Novartis and Rovi. MCR: has received speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Bial, Chiesi, CSL Behring, GlaxoSmithKline, Menarini, and Grifols; and consulting fees from GlaxoSmithKline, CSL Behring and Bial. CM-M: has received speaker fees and/or consulting fees and/or support to attend congresses from Astra-Zeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL Behring, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols and Menarini. APC: has received payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from CSL Behring. MB: has received speaker fees from Grifols, Menarini, CSL Behring, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim and consulting fees from GSK, Novartis, CSL Behring and Boehringer Ingelheim. FJC-G: has received speaker honorarium from GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Mundipharma, Menarini, Pfizer, Novartis, Esteve, Teva Pharmaceutical, Ferrer, Rovi, Roche, Astra Zeneca, Bial, Actelion, Alter, CSL Behring, Faes Farma, Alter, Grifols, Sanofi Genzyme and Gebro Pharma; consulting honorarium from Chiesi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva Pharmaceutical, Astra Zeneca, Bial, CSL Behring and Sanofi Genzyme; and travel grants from GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva Pharmaceutical, Astra Zeneca and CSL Behring. FC-M: has received speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Bial, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Sanofi, Vertex, CSL Behring and Grifols; and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, CSL Behring, and Grifols. JMH-P: Speaker honorarium from Grifols, CSL Behring, Astra-Zeneca, GSK, Bial laboratory, Teva laboratory and FAES Farma. Advisory honorarium from CSL Behring. Travel grants from Grifols and CSL Behring. LL-A: has received speaker honorarium from CSL Behring and Grifols SA; research grants from Grifols SA; consulting honorarium from CSL Behring; and travel grants from CSL Behring and Grifols SA. CMR: has received speaker honorarium from Astra Zeneca, CSL Behring CSL, Chiesi, Gebro, GSK, Mundipharma, TEVA and Sanofi; research grants from AstraZeneca, GSK and TEVA; and consulting and advisory honorarium from Astra Zeneca, CSL Behring, Chiesi, Mundipharma and TEVA. FJM: has received speaker fees and/or consulting fees and/or support to attend congresses from Astra-Zeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi, CSL Behring, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Menarini, Novartis, Sanofi Aventis and Teva. J-BM-R: has received speaker fees and/or consulting fees and/or support to attend congresses from CSL Behring and Grifols. RS: has received speaker fees and/or consulting fees and/or support to attend congresses from CSL Behring, Astra Zeneca, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Teva, Novartis and Menarini. MO-P: has received speaker honorarium from Biogen, Novartis, Roche, Genzyme Sanofi and Takeda. JPQG: Advisory board member for CSL Behring. MM: has received speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, Menarini, Rovi, Bial, Kamada, Takeda, Sandoz, Zambon, CSL Behring, Specialty Therapeutics, Janssen, Grifols and Novartis; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Atriva Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Bial, Gebro Pharma, CSL Behring, Inhibrx, Laboratorios Esteve, Ferrer, Menarini, Mereo Biopharma, Verona Pharma, Spin Therapeutics, ONO Pharma, pH Pharma, Palobiofarma SL, Takeda, Novartis, Sanofi and Grifols; and research grants from Grifols. RAR, MABG, LD-C, PGM, CM-G, IP, MRR-S-E and BT-G: have no conflict of interest., (© 2023 Torres-Durán et al.) more...

Purpose: The extent of the survival benefit of augmentation therapy for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in individuals with advanced COPD is difficult to define. We performed a retrospective analysis using all available data from the observational registry of individuals with severe deficiency of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) conducted by the NHLBI investigators., Patients and Methods: Individuals (N=1129) with severe deficiency of AAT were evaluated for mortality using all data sources and stratified by 10% increments of baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) percent predicted and by augmentation therapy status (ever receiving versus never receiving). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for each of the deciles comparing survival in treated vs non-treated groups. A multivariable model was performed to define the correlates of survival in individuals with FEV1 <30% predicted., Results: Amongst all subjects, augmentation was associated with improved survival (p<0.0001). Among the individuals ever receiving augmentation therapy, survival was better than for those not receiving augmentation at all 10% increments of FEV1% predicted from 10% to 60% (P values <0.05 in all deciles). In subgroups of participants with hyperinflation defined as residual volume (RV)>120% predicted and in subgroups of participants with reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) <70% predicted, there was significantly better survival for those ever receiving augmentation therapy than for those who never received augmentation (p<0.001). A multivariable analysis showed that mortality benefit is influenced by age, DLCO % predicted, and augmentation therapy., Conclusion: There is a survival benefit from augmentation therapy in AATD between FEV1 values in the 10-60% predicted range. Screening and treatment of AATD patients should therefore not be limited by the severity of illness as defined by FEV1., Competing Interests: TB reports grants with Grifols, outside the submitted work. CS is employed in part by AlphaNet, a disease management company for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. He reports grants from Adverum, Arrowhead, CSL Behring, Grifols, MatRx, Takeda, and Vertex. He has received personal fees from CSL Behring, Dicerna, and Vertex, all outside the submitted work. FR reports grants and personal fees, from Grifols, and Takeda outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2020 Rahaghi et al.) more...

Background: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains largely underdiagnosed despite recommendations of healthcare institutions and programmes designed to increase awareness. The objective was to analyse the trends in AATD diagnosis during the last 5 years in a Spanish AATD reference laboratory., Methods: This was a retrospective revision of all alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) determinations undertaken in our laboratory from 2015 to 2019. We analysed the number of AAT determinations performed and described the characteristics of the individuals tested, as well as the medical specialties and the reasons for requesting AAT determination., Results: A total of 3507 determinations were performed, of which 5.5% corresponded to children. A significant increase in the number of AAT determinations was observed from 349 in 2015 to 872 in 2019. Among the samples, 57.6% carried an intermediate AATD (50-119 mg/dL) and 2.4% severe deficiency (<50 mg/dL). The most frequent phenotype in severe AATD individuals was PI*ZZ (78.5%), and aminotransferase levels were above normal in around 43% of children and 30% of adults. Respiratory specialists requested the highest number of AAT determinations (31.5%) followed by digestive diseases and internal medicine (27.5%) and primary care physicians (19.7%). The main reason for AAT determination in severe AATD adults was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (41.7%), but reasons for requesting AAT determination were not reported in up to 41.7% of adults and 58.3% of children., Conclusion: There is an increase in the frequency of AATD testing despite the rate of AAT determination remaining low. Awareness about AAT is probably increasing, but the reason for testing is not always clear., Competing Interests: Miriam Barrecheguren has received speaker fees from Grifols, Menarini, CSL Behring, GSK and consulting fees from GSK, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim and Gebro Pharma, outside the submitted work. Cristina Esquinas has received speaker fees from CSL Behring. Marc Miravitlles has received speaker or consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bial, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, CSL Behring, Laboratorios Esteve, Gebro Pharma, Kamada, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Menarini, Mereo Biopharma, Novartis, pH Pharma, Rovi, TEVA, Spin Therapeutics, Verona Pharma and Zambon, personal fees from Sandoz and Ferrer, and research grants from GlaxoSmithKline and Grifols, outside the submitted work. The aforementioned authors report no other potential conflicts of interest for this work. The remaining authors report no conflicts of interest., (© 2020 Belmonte et al.) more...

Introduction: Small airways are not evaluated with traditional pulmonary function tests. The aim of this study was to evaluate the small airways in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with a nitrogen washout test and to verify whether there is a difference between patients with COPD due to smoking and those with COPD due to alpha-1 antitrypsin mutation., Methods: Sixteen patients with mutation in the SERPINA1 gene and 45 patients with no mutation were included in this cross-sectional study. All pulmonary function tests, including the single breath nitrogen washout test, were performed for all patients and alpha-1 antitrypsin dosage was assessed with immunonephelometry., Results: A comparison of patients with COPD due to smoking and those with COPD due to smoking and mutation revealed a significant difference in closure volume (%), which was the poorest in the mutation group. In the group with COPD and mutation, there was an inverse correlation between smoking and closure volume (%). We also verified that similar to forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), the phase III slope (%) and ΔN2 750-1250 mL (%) could be used to differentiate the severity of airflow limitation., Conclusion: Our results suggest that both variables, phase III slope and the ΔN2 750-1250 mL (%), could be related to COPD severity. Therefore, alterations at the distribution of the location of the emphysema could alter the results of closer volume and that the nitrogen washout test is more sensitive when compared to traditional pulmonary function test in evaluating COPD patients., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2020 Ferrari da Cruz et al.) more...

Background: Practice guidelines (PGs) attempt to standardize practice to optimize care. For uncommon lung diseases like alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a paucity of definitive studies and geographic variation in prevalence may hamper guideline generation. The current study assembled and assesses the degree of concordance among available PGs regarding AATD., Methods: To assess concordance, 15 eligible guidelines focused on AATD were evaluated regarding recommendations surrounding 24 key clinical issues. A Delphi process achieved consensus on ratings for each statement among 3 reviewers. Agreement was quantified as the proportion of guideline comparisons with a matching rating., Results: The overall level of agreement was 47% (1190/2520 comparisons). The overall "affirmative agreement percentage" (ie, when guidelines agreed in endorsing a practice), was 42% (501/1190 comparisons). The agreement for individual clinical statements ranged from 26% to 75%. A broad consensus was seen in the recommendation to test all patients with a history of fixed obstruction on pulmonary function testing (either from asthma or COPD). Given that AATD is an under-recognized disease and that diagnosis often occurs at a late stage, the authors are encouraged by this consensus. Where overall the guidelines were less explicit was when to refer to a specialist or AATD center. Deciding on a treatment strategy requires a thorough understanding of the alpha 1 serum level, genotype, pulmonary function testing, and imaging, and therefore the authors feel that all patients would benefit from a specialty referral if the diagnosis of AATD is being considered., Conclusion: Available guidelines regarding AATD frequently disagreed in management recommendations. Possible explanations for discordance include differences in regional prevalence, availability of augmentation therapy, and insurance environments. Attempts to harmonize the various guidelines by empaneling a broadly representative international group of disease experts should be considered for AATD. Similar comparisons among guidelines for other diseases are recommended., Competing Interests: Dr Robert A Sandhaus served in Advisory Board for Grifols, CSL Behring, and Shire, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2019 Attaway et al.) more...

Background: Airway inflammation may drive the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), but the relationship between airway microbiota and inflammation has not been investigated., Methods: We studied 21 non-treated AATD (AATD-noT) patients, 20 AATD-COPD patients under augmentation therapy (AATD-AT), 20 cigarette smoke-associated COPD patients, 20 control healthy smokers (CS) and 21 non-smokers (CON) with normal lung function. We quantified sputum inflammatory cells and inflammatory markers (IL-27, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL8, LTB 4 , MPO) by ELISA, total bacterial load (16S) and pathogenic bacteria by qRT-PCR., Results: AATD-AT patients were younger but had similar spirometric and DLCO values compared to cigarette smoke-associated COPD, despite a lower burden of smoking history. Compared to cigarette smoke-associated COPD, AATD-noT and AATD-AT patients had lower sputum neutrophil levels ( p =0.0446, p =0.0135), total bacterial load (16S) ( p =0.0081, p =0.0223), M. catarrhalis ( p =0.0115, p =0.0127) and S. pneumoniae ( p =0.0013, p =0.0001). Sputum IL-27 was significantly elevated in CS and cigarette smoke-associated COPD. AATD-AT, but not AATD-noT patients, had IL-27 sputum levels (pg/ml) significantly lower than COPD ( p =0.0297) and these positively correlated with FEV 1 % predicted values ( r =0.578, p =0.0307)., Conclusions: Compared to cigarette smoke-associated COPD, AATD-AT (COPD) patients have a distinct airway inflammatory and microbiological profile. The decreased sputum bacterial load and IL-27 levels in AATD-AT patients suggests that augmentation therapy play a role in these changes., Competing Interests: This study was funded by Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, IRCCS and by Grifols Inc. Grifols Inc. with a two-year grant. Grifols funding included laboratory supplies, travel expenses for collecting samples around the Country and a fellowship for a Ph.D. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2019 Balbi et al.) more...

Background: The clinical course of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is very heterogeneous. It is estimated that 60% of individuals with severe AATD (Pi*ZZ) develop emphysema. The main objective of this study was to describe the outcomes of long-term lung function in individuals with AATD-associated emphysema after at least 8 years of follow-up., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of longitudinal follow-up data of AATD PiZZ patients from the Spanish registry (AATD Spanish Registry [REDAAT]). The main follow-up outcome was the annual rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) calculated using the FEV 1 values at baseline and in the last post-bronchodilator spirometry available., Results: One hundred and twenty-two AATD PiZZ patients were analyzed. The median follow-up was 11 years (interquartile range =9-14). The mean FEV 1 decline was 28 mL/year (SD=54), with a median of 33 mL/year. Tobacco consumption (β=19.8, p <0.001), previous pneumonia (β=27.8, p =0.026) and higher baseline FEV 1 % (β=0.798, p =0.016) were independently related to a faster FEV 1 decline., Conclusion: In this large cohort with a long follow-up, we observed a very variable decline of FEV 1 . However, the mean FEV 1 decline was similar to that observed in large cohorts of smoking-related COPD. Tobacco consumption, previous pneumonia and better lung function at baseline were related to a faster decline in FEV 1 . These results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and effective treatment., Competing Interests: Disclosure Sonia Serreri was supported by an Erasmus placement 2014–2015 from Università di Sassari (Sassari, Italy). Marc Miravitlles has received speaker fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, Menarini, Grifols and Novartis, and consulting fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Glaxo-SmithKline, Gebro Pharma, CSL Behring, Novartis and Grifols. Miriam Barecheguren has received speaker fees from Menarini, GlaxoSmithKline and Gebro Pharma. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work. more...

The alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) haplotype Pi*S, when inherited along with the Pi*Z haplotype to form a Pi*SZ genotype, can be associated with pulmonary emphysema in regular smokers, and less frequently with liver disease, panniculitis, and systemic vasculitis in a small percentage of people, but this connection is less well established. Since the detection of cases can allow the application of preventive measures in patients and relatives with this congenital disorder, the objective of this study was to update the prevalence of the SZ genotype to achieve accurate estimates of the number of Pi*SZ subjects worldwide, based on studies performed according to the following criteria: 1) samples representative of the general population, 2) AAT phenotyping characterized by adequate methods, and 3) selection of studies with reliable results assessed with a coefficient of variation calculated from the sample size and 95% confidence intervals. Studies fulfilling these criteria were used to develop tables and maps with an inverse distance-weighted (IDW) interpolation method, to provide numerical and geographical information of the Pi*SZ distribution worldwide. A total of 262 cohorts from 71 countries were included in the analysis. With the data provided by these cohorts, a total of 1,490,816 Pi*SZ were estimated: 708,792 in Europe; 582,984 in America and Caribbean; 85,925 in Africa; 77,940 in Asia; and 35,176 in Australia and New Zealand. Remarkably, the IDW interpolation maps predicted the Pi*SZ prevalence throughout the entire world even in areas lacking real data. These results may be useful to plan strategies for future research, diagnosis, and management of affected individuals., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. more...

Background: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a rare genetic condition predisposing individuals to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The treatment is generally extrapolated from COPD unrelated to AATD; however, most COPD trials exclude AATD patients; thus, this study sought to systematically review AATD-specific literature to assist evidence-based patient management., Methods: Standard review methodology was used with meta-analysis and narrative synthesis (PROSPERO-CRD42015019354). Eligible studies were those of any treatment used in severe AATD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were the primary focus; however, case series and uncontrolled studies were eligible. All studies had ≥10 participants receiving treatment or usual care, with baseline and follow-up data (>3 months). Risk of bias was assessed appropriately according to study methodology., Results: In all, 7,296 studies were retrieved from searches; 52 trials with 5,632 participants met the inclusion criteria, of which 26 studies involved alpha-1 antitrypsin augmentation and 17 concerned surgical treatments (largely transplantation). Studies were grouped into four management themes: COPD medical, COPD surgical, AATD specific, and other treatments. Computed tomography (CT) density, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide, health status, and exacerbation rates were frequently used as outcomes. Meta-analyses were only possible for RCTs of intravenous augmentation, which slowed progression of emphysema measured by CT density change, 0.79 g/L/year versus placebo ( P =0.002), and associated with a small increase in exacerbations 0.29/year ( P =0.02). Mortality following lung transplant was comparable between AATD- and non-AATD-related COPD. Surgical reduction of lung volume demonstrated inferior outcomes compared with non-AATD-related emphysema., Conclusion: Intravenous augmentation remains the only disease-specific therapy in AATD and there is evidence that this slows decline in emphysema determined by CT density. There is paucity of data around other treatments in AATD. Treatments for usual COPD may not be as efficacious in AATD, and further studies may be required for this disease group., Competing Interests: Disclosure Mr Edgar reports grants from HEE and NIHR, during the conduct of the study. This article presents independent research funded by the NIHR. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, NIHR, HEE, or the Department of Health. Dr Patel, Mrs Bayliss, and Dr Crossley have nothing to disclose. Dr Sapey reports grants from NIHR, during the conduct of the study, and grants from Medical Research Council, Alpha-1 Foundation, and British Lung Foundation, outside the submitted work. Dr Turner reports grants from Grifols Biotherapeutics, Alpha-1 Foundation, outside the submitted work, and The Birmingham AATD Registry has received past funds from CSL Behring for work in AATD, although this was not held by any of the authors. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work. more...

Differentiating between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with normal (PiMM) or deficient (PiZZ) genetic variants of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) is important not only for understanding the pathobiology of disease progression but also for improving personalized therapies. This pilot study aimed to investigate whether urinary peptides reflect the A1AT-related phenotypes of COPD. Urine samples from 19 clinically stable COPD cases (7 PiMM and 12 PiZZ A1AT) were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry. We identified 66 peptides (corresponding to 36 unique proteins) that differed between PiZZ and PiMM COPD. Among these, peptides from the collagen family were the most abundant and divergent. A logistic regression model based on COL1A1 or COL5A3 peptides enabled differentiation between PiMM and PiZZ groups, with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 85.71% for COL1A1 and a sensitivity of 91.67% and specificity of 85.71% for COL5A3. Furthermore, patients with PiZZ presented low levels of urinary peptides involved in lipoproteins/lipids and retinoic acid metabolism, such as apolipoprotein A-I and C4, retinol-binding protein 4 and prostaglandin-H2 D-isomerase. However, peptides of MDS1 and EVII complex locus, gelsolin and hemoglobin alpha were found in the urine of COPD cases with PiZZ, but not with PiMM. These capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry-based results provide the first evidence that urinary peptide content differs between PiMM and PiZZ patients with COPD., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. more...

In alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), the Z allele is present in 98% of cases with severe disease, and knowledge of the frequency of this allele is essential from a public health perspective. However, there is a remarkable lack of epidemiological data on AATD worldwide, and many of the data currently used are outdated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to update the knowledge of the frequency of the Z allele to achieve accurate estimates of the prevalence and number of Pi*ZZ genotypes worldwide based on studies performed according to the following criteria: 1) samples representative of the general population, 2) AAT phenotyping characterized by adequate methods, and 3) measurements performed using a coefficient of variation calculated from the sample size and 95% confidence intervals. Studies fulfilling these criteria were used to develop maps with an inverse distance weighted (IDW)-interpolation method, providing numerical and graphical information of Pi*Z distribution worldwide. A total of 224 cohorts from 65 countries were included in the study. With the data provided by these cohorts, a total of 253,404 Pi*ZZ were estimated worldwide: 119,594 in Europe, 91,490 in America and Caribbean, 3,824 in Africa, 32,154 in Asia, 4,126 in Australia, and 2,216 in New Zealand. In addition, the IDW-interpolation maps predicted Pi*Z frequencies throughout the world even in some areas that lack real data. In conclusion, the inclusion of new well-designed studies and the exclusion of the low-quality ones have significantly improved the reliability of results, which may be useful to plan strategies for future research and diagnosis and to rationalize the therapeutic resources available., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. more...

Introduction: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains an underdiagnosed condition despite initiatives developed to increase awareness. The objective was to describe the current situation of the diagnosis of AATD in primary care (PC) in Catalonia, Spain., Methods: We performed a population-based study with data from the Information System for Development in Research in Primary Care, a population database that contains information of 5.8 million inhabitants (80% of the population of Catalonia). We collected the number of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) determinations performed in the PC in two periods (2007-2008 and 2010-2011) and described the characteristics of the individuals tested., Results: A total of 12,409 AAT determinations were performed (5,559 in 2007-2008 and 6,850 in 2010-2011), with 10.7% of them in children. As a possible indication for AAT determination, 28.9% adults and 29.4% children had a previous diagnosis of a disease related to AATD; transaminase levels were above normal in 17.7% of children and 47.1% of adults. In total, 663 (5.3%) individuals had intermediate AATD (50-100 mg/dL), 24 (0.2%) individuals had a severe deficiency (<50 mg/dL), with a prevalence of 0.19 cases of severe deficiency per 100 determinations. Nine (41%) of the adults with severe deficiency had a previous diagnosis of COPD/emphysema, and four (16.7%) were diagnosed with COPD within 6 months., Conclusion: The number of AAT determinations in the PC is low in relation to the prevalence of COPD but increased slightly along the study period. The indication to perform the test is not always clear, and patients detected with deficiency are not always referred to a specialist. more...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Lung transplantation is one of the few treatments available for end-stage COPD with the potential to improve survival and quality of life. The selection of candidates and timing of listing present challenges, as COPD tends to progress fairly slowly, and survival after lung transplantation remains limited. Though the natural course of COPD is difficult to predict, the use of assessments of functional status and multivariable indices such as the BODE index can help identify which patients with COPD are at increased risk for mortality, and hence which are more likely to benefit from lung transplantation. Patients with COPD can undergo either single or bilateral lung transplantation. Although many studies suggest better long-term survival with bilateral lung transplant, especially in younger patients, this continues to be debated, and definitive recommendations about this cannot be made. Patients may be more susceptible to particular complications of transplant for COPD, including native lung hyperinflation, and development of lung cancer. more...

Introduction: Intravenous augmentation therapy with purified intravenous alpha-1 antitrypsin replaces the deficient protein and is the only currently approved treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) related lung disease. While augmentation therapy has been available for more than 20 years, there are a limited number of studies evaluating the effect of augmentation on lung function., Material and Methods: We examined the decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) in patients enrolled in the Alpha-1 Foundation DNA and Tissue Bank in relation to the use or not of alpha-1 antitrypsin augmentation therapy. For the purpose of our analysis we included 164 patients with AATD and PI ZZ genotype., Results: Mean age of the patients was 60 years, 52% were females, 94% were white and 78% ex-smokers. The mean FEV(1) at baseline was 1.7 L and the mean FEV(1) % of predicted was 51.3%. The mean follow-up time was 41.7 months. A total of 124 (76%) patients received augmentation therapy (augmented group) while 40 patients (24%) did not received it (non-augmented group). When adjusted by age at baseline, sex, smoking status, baseline FEV(1) % of predicted, the mean overall change in FEV(1) was 47.6 mL/year, favoring the augmented group (DeltaFEV(1) 10.6 +/- 21.4 mL/year) in comparison with the non-augmented group (DeltaFEV(1) -36.96 +/- 12.1 mL/year) (P = 0.05). Beneficial DeltaFEV(1) were observed in ex-smokers and the group with initial FEV(1) % of predicted of <50%. No differences were observed in mortality., Conclusions: In conclusion, augmentation therapy improves lung function in subjects with AATD when adjusted by age, gender, smoking status and baseline FEV(1) % of predicted. The beneficial effects were noted in ex-smoker subjects with FEV(1) below 50% of predicted. more...