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Who gets alcoholic liver disease: Nature or nurture?

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Chris Day

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Abstract

the factors determining why fewer than 10% of drinkers develop advanced alcoholic liver disease remain largely unknown. There is a weak relationship between disease risk and the dose and pattern of alcohol consumed. Obesity increases the risk of all stages of alcoholic liver disease, probably reflecting the role of steatosis in the pathogenesis of more advanced disease. Women develop disease at a lower intake than men due, in part, to their lower volume of distribution for alcohol, but also potentially to increased gut permeability to endotoxin. Recent studies suggest a non-gender-linked genetic component to disease susceptibility and recent case-control studies have suggested that polymorphisms of genes encoding cytokines and other immunoregulatory molecules may exert a significant effect. The pattern of polymorphisms associated with risk suggests that antibody-mediated mechanisms play a role in disease pathogenesis. This has implications for treatment and for identifying high risk individuals at an early stage.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Day CP

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London

Year: 2000

Volume: 34

Issue: 6

Pages: 557-562

Print publication date: 01/11/2000

ISSN (print): 0035-8819

ISSN (electronic): 1473-4893

Publisher: Royal College of Physicians

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11191974

PubMed id: 11191974

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