The present invention relates to methods for identifying susceptibility of impaired hepatic wound healing in a patient, most particularly by identifying modifications of the of PPAR-γ and TGFβ1 genes. It further relates to stratifying populations of patients to determine susceptibility to impaired hepatic wound healing and direct appropriate healthcare resources. More specifically methods can be used to stratify liver disease patient populations to identify those most likely to progress to cirrhosis, or to identify the likelihood that a patient with liver disease will progress to having cirrhosis.