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Diseases » Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency » Treatments

Treatments for Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

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Treatments for Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

Hospital admission
Antibiotics to treat pneumonia
Corticosteroids
Dapsone
Doxycycline

Discussion of treatments for Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency:

Treatment of AAT deficiency includes the standard treatment of emphysema (bronchodilators, early use of antibiotics in infections) as well as the more experimental therapies of correcting AAT levels by replacing the protein. Gene therapy to replace the defective SERPINA1 gene with a functional copy is currently being investigated.

However, the most important part of treatment of AAT deficiency is to avoid smoking. Affected individuals are far less likely to develop emphysema if they do not smoke. Not only is smoking a lung irritant, which attracts white blood cells (and therefore neutrophil elastase) to the lungs, it also prevents any AAT that is present in the lungs from working properly. top link (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

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Book Excerpts: Treatment of Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency - TREATMENT - Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

Treatments of Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the treatments of Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency.

Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency: Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency - TREATMENT
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

Patients will require lifelong monitoring and management of symptoms.
Cigarette smoking and hepatotoxins must be avoided.
Liver transplantation is reserved for severe liver disease. In addition to replacing the diseased liver, the transplant graft will secrete normal α
Enzyme replacement therapy is used in adults to prevent progression of lung disease. This has no effect on liver disease.
Annual influenza vaccination and pneumococcal vaccination every 5 years
Vaccinations against hepatitis A and B

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Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008