1Designating the month of November 2013 as "Alpha-1 Screening
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AAT Deficiency or
4Alpha-1) is a common hereditary disorder that can result in
5life-threatening liver disease in children and adults or in lung
6disease in adults; and

7WHEREAS, Alpha-1 occurs when there is a lack of a protein in
8the blood called alpha-1 antitrypsin, or AAT; and

9WHEREAS, AAT, the alpha-1 protein, is mainly produced by the
10liver and protects the lungs from inflammation caused by
11infection and inhaled irritants; and

12WHEREAS, This disorder leads to a buildup of abnormal AAT in
13the liver that can cause liver disease and a decrease of AAT in
14the blood that can lead to lung disease; and

15WHEREAS, The most common symptoms of Alpha-1 include
16shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic bronchitis, recurring

1chest colds, bronchiectasis, unexplained liver disease or
2elevated liver enzymes, eyes and skin turning yellow and
3swelling of the abdomen or legs; and

4WHEREAS, Alpha-1 affects nearly 100,000 individuals in the
5United States, and an estimated 25 million people carry a single
6deficient gene that causes Alpha-1 and may pass the gene on to
7their children; and

8WHEREAS, Alpha-1 is widely underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed;
9and

10WHEREAS, Alpha-1 is often first diagnosed as asthma or
11smoking-related Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD);
12and

13WHEREAS, Screening programs are important because fewer than
1410% of those predicted to have Alpha-1 have been diagnosed, and
15it often takes an average of five doctors and seven years from
16the time symptoms appear before proper diagnosis is made, which
17can be done using a simple blood test; and

18WHEREAS, It is important to increase awareness and detection
19of this serious hereditary and misdiagnosed disorder; therefore
20be it

21RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
22month of November 2013 as "Alpha-1 Screening Awareness Month" in
23Pennsylvania and call upon all residents of this Commonwealth to
24observe this month by participating in activities to raise
25awareness of Alpha-1 and support those individuals affected by
26this condition.