Both α-1-antitrypsin Z phenotypes and low caeruloplasmin levels are over-represented in alcohol and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplant in Ireland

Objectives Alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are steatotic liver diseases and major causes of cirrhosis. Only a minority of patients with risk factors develop cirrhosis and genetic cofactors may be important in pathogenesis. Mutations in the Wilson’s and α-1-antitrypsin genes are not uncommon and we speculated that they may act as cofactors. Methods We investigated α-1-antitrypsin phenotyes and caeruloplasmin levels in patients undergoing elective liver transplantation. We compared patients with alcohol and NAFLD with nonsteatotic liver disease patients: viral hepatitis B or C, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Results Two hundred and thirty-one patients were included in the study. Pretransplant caeruloplasmin levels and α-1-antitrypsin phenotypes were available in 197 and 112 patients, respectively. α-1-Antitrypsin Z phenotypes were significantly more common in the alcohol and NAFLD group: 12/56 versus 3/56 (P
Source: European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Tags: Original Articles: Cirrhosis Source Type: research