Acquired alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and dysgammaglobulinemia

Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels were measured in patients with three types of dysgammaglobulinemia: monoclonal gammopathy, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and hypogammaglobulinemia. A fourth group comprised of subjects with normogammaglobulinemia served as a control. The frequency of hypoalpha-1-antitrypsinemia was significantly higher in those with monoclonal gammopathy compared with controls. The basis for this evaluation is unknown. It was not associated with phenotypic variation nor was it related to sex, age, total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin levels, liver function, bone marrow and bone x-ray findings.