Death from Liver Disease in Parents Linked to Elevated Hepatitis Risk in Children: Study Finds
A new study published in Hepatology Communications reveals that individuals whose parent died from liver disease face more than double the risk of developing alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH)—a severe and often fatal form of liver disease—compared to heavy drinkers without such a family history. The research, conducted by scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute, sheds light on a potential familial or genetic susceptibility that could help identify high-risk individuals earlier.
Alcohol-associated hepatitis is one of the deadliest forms of alcohol-related liver disease, with limited treatment options and high short-term mortality. While excessive alcohol use is a well-known risk factor, not all heavy drinkers develop alcohol-associated hepatitis, leaving researchers searching for biological or genetic mechanisms that may predispose certain individuals.
The study analyzed data from two large, multicenter cohorts: one including patients diagnosed with alcohol-associated hepatitis and another consisting of heavy drinkers who had not developed significant liver disease. Researchers found that although parental alcohol use disorder was common across both groups, it was specifically a parent's death due to liver disease that was associated with a markedly higher risk of developing alcohol-associated hepatitis.
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