Familial predisposition to alcoholic liver disease: a case-control study.

Objectives: The variable susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) may be genetic in origin, but clear candidate genes have not yet emerged. This study aimed to assess familial clustering of ALD using a case-control strategy.

Methods: We recruited two cohorts of heavy drinkers (>60 U/week for men or >40 U/week for women): 291 individuals with decompensated ALD (Child's grade B or C) and 208 controls with similar alcohol consumption but no evidence of liver disease.