PNPLA3 and end-stage liver disease – destigmatizing alcoholic cirrhosis?

Background and aims: End-stage liver disease represents a final path for hepatic disorders and can only be cured by liver transplantation. The rs738409 variant (I148 M) of the PNPLA3 gene is associated with a variety of liver malfunctions but has not been addressed in an end-stage liver disease setting. Methods: The I148 M polymorphism was genotyped in a well characterized cohort of 421 Caucasian patients with end-stage liver disease, characterized as liver transplantation or current enrollment at Eurotransplant. We obtained a detailed history of alcohol consumption in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD)…