Alpha-1-antitrypsin activity in duodenal ulcer.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin activity was estimated in thirty-one duodenal ulcer patients and twenty-five age and sex matched controls. Statistically significant (P less than 0.05) decrease was noted in the mean alpha-1-antitrypsin activity in the patients sera. These observations indicate that alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency may be one of the important factors in the aetiopathogenesis of duodenal ulcer in a considerable proportion of patients.