Short Name: Alpha
Sample required: Serum
Result Time: 4 Days
Alpha-1-Antitrypsin is a glycoprotein made by the liver which inhibits a wide variety of proteases. It protects tissues, specially the lungs, from enzymes of inflammatory cells. This test is ordered to help diagnose the cause of early onset emphysema, especially when a person does not have obvious risk factors such as smoking or exposure to lung irritants. It also helps in the diagnosis of persistent jaundice and other signs of liver dysfunction.