Journal of hepatology
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Journal of hepatology · Jul 1998
Tumor necrosis factor genomic polymorphism and outcome of acetaminophen (paracetamol)-induced acute liver failure.
High levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha are associated with an increased risk of severe encephalopathy in acute liver failure, and experimental studies suggest that tumor necrosis factor-alpha plays a role in the development of acetaminophen (paracetamol)-induced liver injury and associated multiple organ failure. Inter-individual variations in the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha have been linked to genomic polymorphisms within the tumor necrosis factor-alpha locus. This study examined whether specific tumor necrosis factor polymorphisms are associated with variations in the severity of clinical features in acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure. ⋯ The development of acute liver failure is unlikely to be primarily sepsis driven. However, the apparent protective effect of the tumor necrosis factor B1B1 genotype on the development of severe encephalopathy may be related to the effects of this genotype on tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in sepsis.