Mortality in Patients With Genetic and Environmental Risk of Liver Disease

INTRODUCTION: The increasing liver-related mortality calls for hepatic surveillance programs. To design them, factors selectively increasing liver-related vs overall mortality need to be identified. METHODS: We analyzed mortality data from 467,558 individuals recruited by the community-based UK Biobank. The mean follow-up was 11.4 years. Results: While all assessed genetic factors associated with increased liver-specific mortality, only homozygous TM6SF2 mutation and SERPINA1 mutation conferred elevated overall mortality. Among the environmental factors, obesity and metabolic syndrome disproportionately contributed to liver-related deaths. Discussion: Our data demonstrate an interplay between genetics and environment and provide a basis for hepatic surveillance programs.

Automated summary

This study analyzed data from a large sample recruited by the UK Biobank and found that genetic factors have a greater impact on liver-specific mortality, while certain gene mutations contribute to overall mortality. In addition, obesity and metabolic syndrome disproportionally contribute to liver-related deaths. The findings highlight the interplay between genetics and environment in liver-related mortality and provide a basis for hepatic surveillance programs.