ABSTRACT
Nonsmokers with signs of emphysema at an earlier age than is typical for emphysema deserve a workup for one of the less common causes of emphysema, which include alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, connective tissue diseases, hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome, intravenous drug use, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and several rare metabolic disorders.
Footnotes
↵* The author has indicated that he has received grant or research support from Alpha Therapeutics and that he is a consultant for Baxter Healthcare Corporation.
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