SERPINA1 and pulmonary emphysema: In severe states of AATD, such as those occurring in homozygote carriers of the Z‐AAT mutant (E342K), plasma levels of AAT diminish below a protective threshold leading to uncontrolled activity of the elastolytic neutrophil proteases on the lung tissue, progressive damage of the alveolar walls and elevated risk of early onset emphysema [3, 4].