Exposure to poor air quality worsens symptoms and accelerates lung function decline in adults, especially if you have other risk factors for COPD.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AATD) deficiency is a genetic or inherited condition that affects the body’s ability to produce a protein (Alpha-1) that protects the lungs.
- The only established genetic risk factor for COPD is homozygosity for the Z allele of the alpha1-antitrypsin gene.
- Heterozygotes for the Z allele may also be at increased risk.
Other mutations affecting the structure of alpha1-antitrypsin or the regulation of gene expression have been identified as risk factors.