Alphas receiving augmentation therapy have reported a variety of side effects, although the vast majority never have any significant problems. The most common side effect is a sense of feeling tired or having flu-like symptoms that typically lasts for up to 24 hours after an infusion. These symptoms can often be reduced or eliminated by slowing the rate of infusion. Some Alphas have symptoms that seem like mild allergic reactions: rash or hives, itching, tightness in the chest, dyspnea, and/or wheezing. Many of them can continue receiving augmentation therapy if they take an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, before their infusions. Rarely, side effects are severe enough to cause an Alpha to stop augmentation therapy entirely.
Augmentation Therapy – AlphaNet Canada
Individuals receiving these drugs never have any significant problems. In the more than 30-year experience with Prolastin, the most common side effect is a sense of feeling drained or having flu-like symptoms that typically last for up to 24 hours following an infusion. These types of symptoms can often be reduced or eliminated by slowing the rate of infusion. Some patients have symptoms that are suggestive of mild allergic reactions consisting of hives, itching, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and/or wheezing. Many of these patients can continue receiving augmentation therapy if they are pretreated with an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, prior to their infusions. On rare occasions, side effects are severe enough to cause individuals to stop augmentation therapy entirely.
Published experience with all of the augmentation products is insufficient to know whether switching to a different brand of augmentation therapy will be helpful for those who experience side effects on a particular brand of therapy. It is likely this will be a successful option for some people. Individuals who develop severe systemic reactions to one form of augmentation therapy should be monitored extremely closely if they are to be switched to another augmentation therapy. In clinical trials, the newer products demonstrated rates of side effects similar to Prolastin.
Are there any side effects associated with augmentation therapy? – Big Fat Reference Guide
Why do people get side effects or reactions to augmentation therapy?
And why do some individuals feel better when on augmentation therapy?
There are both understood and somewhat “mystical” reasons that some people might feel worse or better on augmentation therapy. The understood or explainable reasons people could feel worse on regular augmentation therapy infusions center primarily on the fluid and protein load that accompanies the dose and the extraneous proteins that are in every augmentation therapy preparation. In terms of fluid and protein load, anyone with heart, kidney, or severe liver problems could find those problems worsened or revealed by the large fluid and protein amounts of an augmentation therapy dose. Regarding the non-AAT proteins in each infusion, these may well provoke reactions in given individuals that could lead to side effects or reactions. Some of these reactions can be allergic in nature; others may have to do with the function of these non-AAT proteins.
Some individuals have had true allergic reactions, sometimes severe, to augmentation therapy. It is possible individuals with these types of reactions (or any side effects) from one brand of augmentation therapy might have fewer or no side effects when switched to a different brand. At the current time, our experience with the newer products is limited in this regard. In any event, if the reaction to one brand of product is severe and a change of product brand is suggested, it is wise to have the initial infusions of the new therapy administered in a health care facility with access to emergency drugs and equipment.
Those reactions referred to as “mystical” are simply reactions or adverse experiences that we simply aren’t smart enough to figure out yet. It is even more difficult to explain why some individuals feel that augmentation therapy makes them feel better. It could be that the large protein load is helpful to the patient, either as an energy source (unlikely) or as a means of pulling edema fluid back from the tissues. It could be that the large fluid load helps liquefy secretions and get them out of the lungs and sinuses. It could be related to the known anti-inflammatory properties of AATalpha-1 antitrypsin.
Why do people get side effects or reactions to augmentation therapy? – Big Fat Reference Guide