Alpha-1-antitrypsin in leprosy.

ABSTRACT

Estimation of Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels was carried out in 52 patients of various types of leprosy. Fifty age and sex matched healthy individuals served as controls. The mean level of AAT in controls was 290.12 +/- 59.56 mg/dl. In patients of tuberculoid leprosy (TT), borderline tuberculoid leprosy (BT) and borderline leprosy (BB), the AAT levels were found to be 284 +/- 47.03, 314.37 +/- 31.56 and 324.44 +/- 32.05 mg/dl respectively. These were statistically insignificantly raised when compared with controls. In borderline lepromatous leprosy (BL), lepromatous leprosy without erythema nodosum leprosum (LL without ENL) and in LL with ENL there was a statistically significant rise in AAT levels. The maximum levels of AAT were observed in patients of LL with ENL (mean 500.8 +/- 93.44 mg/dl. P less than 0.001).