Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) results from a complex interaction between behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors. Although several studies have defined a close relationship between cumulative alcohol intake and risk of developing liver damage, extensive individual variability exists in disease susceptibility. Even among heavy drinkers (more that 100 g alcohol per day), only some individuals develop clinical, biochemical, and histological signs of ALD, ranging from 5-40% in the different series. The importance of genetic factors in the predisposition to ALD has long been recognized.
