title: The morbidity of children with decreased serum levels of alpha 1-antitrypsin in an air pollution area.
abstract: In a group of 115 children, originating from an area with industrial air pollution, a subgroups of 13 (11.3%) children was found with markedly decreased levels of alpha 1-antitrypsin (A 1-AT). Most children of the concerned subgroups were girls (10/64 - 18.5%), and only 3/61 (4.9%) were boys. In comparison with another group of 120 children, originating from an unpolluted area, only 2 (1.7%) of children showed decreased levels of A 1-AT. Significantly decreased serum levels of IgM and Lysozyme were simultaneously found in the hypo A 1-AT children, whereas IgG, IgA and total blood proteinemia did not differ from the controls. Increased morbidity, especially for respiratory diseases, was found in the group with the A 1-AT decreased below the level of 1.5 mg/ml, in comparison with the children of the same area without a decrease of A 1-AT. The lowest morbidity was stated in the control from non-polluted area. The decreased A 1-AT levels were restored to the normal values after half a year in most of the afflicted children, with the exception of two girls. Hypothesis is suggested that markedly decreased A 1-AT values could be caused by environmental influences. This acquired deficiency is reversible in contrast with the well known genetical deficiency.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D003604:Czechoslovakia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009113:Muramidase / Q000097:blood; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001798:Blood Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009113:Muramidase