Obstructive lung disease and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency gene heterozygosity.

The phenotypes of serum alpha(1)-antitrypsin were determined by antigenantibody crossed electrophoresis. There were five homozygotes and 25 heterozygotes for the deficiency gene found in a group of 103 patients with obstructive lung disease. The frequency of heterozygotes was 14 and 9 percent in two control groups with different mean ages of 36 and 80. There was only one heterozygote among 39 healthy males over 70 years of age. Heterozygosity may be a predisposing factor in chronic obstructive lung disease, especially in the male population.