Pulmonary emphysema in a nonsmoker with normal alpha-1-antitrypsin.
Premature and rapidly progressing emphysema of the lung is unique in the absence of cigarette smoking or an inherited homozygous alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. We describe a young man with radiographic evidence of early onset bullous emphysema without the usual risk factors and provide a review of the alternative explanations proposed for this form of lung damage.
Habenstein
K R
KR
Division of Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY.
Roy
T M
TM
Fields
C L
CL
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency