Michael Jackson, Health Rumors, and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
News reports, perhaps misinformed, suggested that the King of Pop needs a lung transplant By Lindsay Lyon Posted December 23, 2008
Claims are swirling that Michael Jackson may””or may not””be gravely ill and in need of a lung transplant because of a rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Whether the King of Pop is breathing easy or gasping to hit a high note, the buzz has certainly cast a spotlight on a little discussed disorder that can lead to lung disease in adults. U.S. News spoke with Mark Wewers, a pulmonologist who is a professor of medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center. Wewers started working with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency 25 years ago; he now runs a specialty clinic for affected patients. Edited excerpts:
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What is alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency?
It's a genetic disorder that leads to a low level of alpha-1 antitrypsin protein in the blood, a protein that acts as a protective shield and blocks the activity of destructive enzymes. These enzymes can, in essence, chew up the lung tissue and destroy it when there's no protective shield. So patients have a deficiency in this protective shield that we think serves to inhibit damage. That destruction is also called emphysema.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/h...umors-and-alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency.html
Had to have a good laugh at this readers comment. Check out the great spelling mistakes Posted the same comment 8 times.
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