When my boyfriend and I were double checking the doctor's diagnosis we found the chart and the whole article pretty helpful. Looks like your test result put you on the unsure what it is leaf, but if you read the article there is more information. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0815/p623.html. Good luck.
Emphysema caused by genetic factors rather than smoking. Emphysema is lung damage which is mostly caused by ... more 1  Â». Familial emphysema: A rare genetic form of emphysema caused by a deficiency of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) which results in destruction of the elastin component of the lung structure.2  The disorder tends to run in families (familial).revalance of Familial emphysema: number of Americans with this genetic deficiency is quite small, probably no more than 70,000. It is estimated that 1 in 3,000 newborns have a genetic deficiency of AAT, and 1 to 3 percent of all cases of emphysema are due to AAT deficiency.
Those with stage one or mild emphysema have a life expectancy as any normal, healthy individual. Majority of those (60-70%) with stage two, or moderate, emphysema live more than five years after diagnosis. In stage three and four emphysema, unfortunately, life expectancy is lower.50% of those with severe emphysema live longer than four years after diagnosis. The life expectancy for those with very severe emphysema is less.mphysema patients usually do not live for more than four years after their diagnosis. Spirometers are used to calculate the life expectancy of an emphysema patient. A chest X-ray can be used to diagnose emphysema in patients. Smoking damages the lungs and increases a person's risk of developing emphysema.