Why the study?
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient individuals are prone to early-onset, severe COPD, but characteristics of the lower respiratory tract prior to clinically significant COPD onset required investigation.
Mild inflammation is present in the lower respiratory tract of AATD individuals despite normal lung function, suggesting a proinflammatory phenotype that precedes clinical COPD.
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Supports early neutrophilic inflammation in AATD with preserved lung function; leaves open whether targeted interventions alter progression.
Köktürk et al. (2023) studied this question.
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