Emphysema caused by genetic factors rather than smoking. Emphysema is lung damage which is mostly caused by ... more 1  ». Familial emphysema: A rare genetic form of emphysema caused by a deficiency of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) which results in destruction of the elastin component of the lung structure.2  The disorder tends to run in families (familial).revalance of Familial emphysema: number of Americans with this genetic deficiency is quite small, probably no more than 70,000. It is estimated that 1 in 3,000 newborns have a genetic deficiency of AAT, and 1 to 3 percent of all cases of emphysema are due to AAT deficiency.