11 July, 2024
The ERS Clinical Research Collaboration, European Alpha -1- Research Collaboration (EARCO), has published its 10th original research manuscript, focusing on the risk of pulmonary disease in Pi*SS individuals.
EARCO is a pan-European network committed to promoting clinical research and education in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). Its core project, the EARCO international AATD registry, collaborates to provide longitudinal real-world data for patients with AATD. Since its launch in February 2020, the EARCO registry has achieved an exciting milestone, enrolling 3000 patients from 25 countries across Europe and America. Additionally, six abstracts from EARCO will be presented at the next ERS Congress in Vienna.
EARCO’s most recent study shows for the first time that Pi*SS individuals have less risk of respiratory disease when compared to Pi*ZZ, but a similar level of risk to the heterozygotes Pi*SZ. The analysis of baseline data has provided relevant information about the clinical phenotypes of patients with AATD, including the prevalence and clinical manifestations of bronchiectasis and the differences in clinical manifestations by sex and geographic area.
The EARCO registry continues to recruit centres worldwide, and establishes collaborations with individual centres, or existing national AATD registries. Researchers interested in joining can contact the EARCO team through the EARCO website.