NOD2 gene variants as novel risk factors for secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients

Sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients (SC-CIP) is a chronic cholestatic disease often progressing to liver cirrhosis. Biliary tract infections and bile acid toxicity might be involved in the pathogenesis. We hypothesized that genetic risk factors increase the odds of developing SC-CIP. Therefore it was our aim to investigate common NOD2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain containing 2) gene variants, known risk factors for Crohn's disease and bacterial intestinal translocation, variants of hepatobiliary transporter genes and the common PNPLA3 risk variant, which have been associated with chronic liver diseases.