Abstract
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.