Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Does Michael Jackson have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency?

The story’s been all over the blogs today. Fox news says the story’s fake, that Jacko’s fine. Even if true it’s sloppy reporting. This post is typical:

Halperin says Jackson is battling an inherited condition called A1AD — alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency — where those affected by it lack a protein that helps protect the lungs. Halperin says that due to the ailment, Jackson “can barely speak” and that the “vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone.”

And while the breathing woes are surely something to worry about, Halperin claims that “it’s the bleeding that’s the most problematic part. It could kill him.”

The posts also say Jackson desperately needs a lung transplant.

While it’s true alpha-1 has extrapulmonary manifestations and disease associations (cirrhosis, necrotizing panniculitis, dementia) there’s no link to visual loss or bleeding. The statements, lacking in internal consistency, are offered without explanation.

I’d wager the claim is fake. Too goofy to be true.

1 comment:

Melissa Doughty said...

I agree that this is not true.. I have a husband and three children that carry Aplha 1 and have had a mother in law and sister die from it and not have heard of the details that this man says. It mainly affects the liver. So if you have a question look it up for yourself only on actual certified sites.