@article {Greulich1600154, author = {Timm Greulich and Christoph Nell and David Hohmann and Marco Grebe and Sabina Janciauskiene and Andreas Rembert Koczulla and Claus Franz Vogelmeier}, title = {The prevalence of diagnosed α1-antitrypsin deficiency and its comorbidities: results from a large population-based database}, volume = {49}, number = {1}, elocation-id = {1600154}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.1183/13993003.00154-2016}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {α1-Antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetically determined disorder that is associated with different clinical manifestations. We aimed to assess the prevalence of diagnosed AATD and its comorbidities using a large healthcare database.In this retrospective longitudinal observational study, we analysed data from 4 million insurants. Using International Classification of Diseases revision 10 (ICD-10) codes, we assessed the prevalence, comorbidities and healthcare utilisation of AATD patients (E88.0 repeatedly coded) relative to non-AATD patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or asthma.In our study population, we identified 673 AATD patients (590 aged >=30 years), corresponding to a prevalence of 23.73 per 100 000 in all age groups and 29.36 per 100 000 in those >=30 years. Based on the number of AATD cases detected in the sample size (673 out of 2 836 585), we extrapolated that there were 19 162 AATD cases in Germany during the years studied. AATD patients had a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension, chronic kidney disease and diabetes relative to non-AATD asthma or emphysema patients. When compared to non-AATD COPD patients, AATD patients had significantly more consultations and more frequent and longer hospitalisations.Our data strengthen the assumption that AATD is associated with a variety of other diseases. Healthcare utilisation appears to be higher among AATD patients as compared to patients with non-AATD-related obstructive lung diseases.AATD patients have higher healthcare utilisation relative to non-AATD COPD, emphysema and asthma patients http://ow.ly/pHHh303m025}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/49/1/1600154}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/49/1/1600154.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }