α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency and Liver Disease in Children

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Abstract
• This report describes the clinical, biochemical, and hepatic morphologic findings in ten children with severe serum α1-antitrypsin deficiency. Genetic protease inhibitor (Pi) phenotyping, using acid-starch gel and crossed antigen-antibody electrophoresis, demonstrated Pi phenotype ZZ in all our cases. In eight patients, manifestations of liver disease appeared during the first year of life. The case reports show that α1-antitrypsin deficiency should be suspected in any child with neonatal hepatitis, unexplained hepatomegaly or splenomegaly, or cirrhosis. In our report, one infant is normal at age 6 months, and one infant had progressive hepatic damage that culminated in liver failure and death at age 6 months. The variable clinical course and prognosis for infants with severe α1-antitrypsin deficiency is well illustrated by these two infants. (Am J Dis Child 130:621-629, 1976)

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