5 genetic variables may also result in non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD).
Liver disease defines several conditions affecting the liver, including inflammation, hepatitis, and liver cancer. Dr Rajiv Lochan, Lead Consultant – HPB and Liver Transplantation Surgery, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, explains it is essential to understand that not all liver diseases are hereditary, and only some liver diseases have a genetic component related to them.
Genetic Pre-Disposition Of Liver Disease
Genetics studies genes, their functioning, and their effects on human traits. The basic heredity units are genes passed down from parents to offspring. Genetic factors can influence eye colour, height, and disease susceptibility. Hereditary refers to the transmission of features from parents to offspring via genes. These traits can be determined by the combination of both parent’s genes. Several genetic disorders that can cause liver disease include hemochromatosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson’s disease, and autoimmune liver disease. Congenital abnormalities can cause susceptibility to liver cancer.
Various genetic variables may also result in non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD)
- Hemochromatosis is an inherited illness in which the body absorbs too much iron, damaging the liver.
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can lead to liver and lung problems when there is a lack of a crucial enzyme required for the proper functioning of these organs.
- In Wilson’s disease, copper accumulates in the brain. This is a common cause of liver cirrhosis that usually presents in children and youngsters.
- Familial hypercholesterolemia is another hereditary illness that can induce high cholesterol and raise the chance of developing liver disease.
- Autoimmune hepatitis can also be inherited as specific groupings of genes are more frequently observed in people with this disorder. However, the exact genetic element that causes this condition is unknown.
Liver Diseases Are Not Always Hereditary
Not all liver diseases are genetic, and various environmental factors, including alcohol consumption, hepatitis virus, and exposure to certain toxins, can cause some. However, an interplay between hereditary and environmental variables can commonly occur and develop liver disease in patients. In my experience over the last few years, I have encountered many young adults with severe liver diseases. Although these youngsters drink alcohol, they may not have consumed enough or for long enough to have such extensive liver disease in their early 20s or early 30s. This indicates that there may be an underlying predisposition to another type of liver disease in these patients, such as a predisposition to non-alcohol fatty liver disease with superimposed alcohol-induced damage, which causes the liver to deteriorate exponentially and results in the earlier onset of decompensated liver disease.
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