Study shows synergistic association between genetic and behavioral risks for liver disease

Excessive alcohol use and obesity are known to increase the risk for developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, but the risk is not the same for everyone with those factors. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that a key genetic variant risk factor, PNPLA3, plays a synergistic role in increasing the risk for cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver-related death when combined with alcohol use and obesity. The findings were published today in JAMA Network Open.