Lung pinprick condition

Lung Pinprick Condition (LPC) is a rare, autosomal recessive, respirative condition. It is estimated that less than 2% of humans carry the gene for LPC. LPC is distributed evenly throughout the world, but those of the East Asian populations exhibit slightly higher frequencies of the trait. Inheriting LPC results in microscopic holes appearing in the lungs of the afflicted. These openings usually begin to appear during the early stages of puberty, but are non-threatening. Symptoms are often noticeable, but they rarely cause discomfort to the individual.

Symptoms include:

• Unusually loud or heavy breathing
• Shortness of breath during strenuous aerobic exercise
• Loud and irregular snoring
• Enlarged veins and arteries, especially in the extremities

LPC does not result in sudden attacks, which are associated with asthma, and thus more than 80% of those with the condition are not aware of its effect upon them. Similarly, since LPC is not especially harmful, no medical research into gene therapy-related cures has been investigated.