5 Facts you should know about

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP)

PAP is a syndrome in which surfactant in alveoli builds up slowly

This blocks air from entering alveoli and oxygen from passing through into the blood, which results in dyspnea

Although primarily affecting people 30 to 50 years old, PAP can occur at any age

The three main causes of PAP are autoimmune, congenital, and secondary - over 90% of people with PAP have the autoimmune form

In autoimmune PAP, B cells begin making a GM-CSF autoantibody that attacks GM-CSF and blocks its ability to stimulate alveolar macrophages

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