Environmental and genetic factors associated with morphine response in the postoperative period.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the respective influence of genetic and nongenetic factors on morphine dose requirements and adverse effects after colorectal surgery. METHODS: Seventy-four patients who planned to undergo colorectal surgery were included in this pilot study. The cumulative 24-hour postoperative dose of morphine and postoperative nausea or vomiting requiring the antiemetic ondansetron were the 2 clinical end points. The association of patient characteristics, A118G mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP); T802C uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase 2B7 (UGT2B7) SNP; and 2 adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette, subfamily B, member 1 (ABCB1) (multidrug resistance 1 [MDR1]) exonic SNPs (G2677T/A and C3435T) with study end points was investigated. RESULTS: Age, creatinine clearance, and the regular use of psychotropic agents were found to be significantly associated with postoperative morphine dose requirements by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis identified that age (P = .01) and the use of psychotropic agents before surgery (P = .03) were positively associated with a higher rate of morphine consumption. A higher weight (P = .05) and the ABCB1 homozygous GG-CC diplotype (P = .03) were significantly associated with fewer morphine side effects by univariate analysis. The homozygous ABCB1 diplotype (GG-CC) conferred an odds ratio of 0.12 (95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.98) with regard to the use of ondansetron for postoperative nausea or vomiting. Multivariate analysis identified that the ABCB1 GG-CC diplotype was the only borderline-significant (P = .07) predictive factor of morphine side effects. CONCLUSION: Age and prior use of psychotropic agents are associated with postoperative morphine dose requirements. Whether ABCB1 polymorphisms might predict morphine side effects remains to be determined.

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) and vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) genotypes as determinants of acenocoumarol sensitivity.

The aim of the study is to explore the contribution of genetic factors related either to drug metabolism (cytochrome P450 2C9) or to drug target (vitamin K epoxide reductase) to variability in the response to acenocoumarol among 222 healthy volunteers after a single oral dose. Associations between a pharmacodynamic index (reduction in factor VII activity and international normalized ratio [INR] change) and several genetic polymorphisms (VKORC1: -4931T>C, -4451C>A, -2659G>C, -1877A>G, -1639G>A, 497C>G, 1173C>T, and CYP2C9*3) were investigated using haplotype and univariate analyses. VKORC1 haplotypes were associated with the pharmacologic response, and this association can be explained only by the effect of the -1639G>A polymorphism (or alternatively by 1173C>T, which is in complete association with it). Indeed, it explains about one third of the variability of the pharmacologic response (37% of factor VII decrease and 30% of INR change). Moreover, the previously observed effect of the CYP2C9*3 allele is independent of the VKORC1 gene effect. These 2 polymorphisms account for up to 50% of the interindividual variability. The simple genotyping of 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), VKORC1 -1639G>A or 1173C>T and the CYP2C9*3 polymorphisms, could thus predict a high risk of overdose before initiation of anticoagulation with acenocoumarol, and provide a safer and more individualized anticoagulant therapy.

Dipyridamole enhances digoxin bioavailability via P-glycoprotein inhibition.

BACKGROUND: On the basis of in vitro studies indicating that dipyridamole is an inhibitor for the MDR1 efflux membrane transporter P-glycoprotein, we postulated that dipyridamole could increase the bioavailability of digoxin, a P-glycoprotein substrate. OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to determine whether dipyridamole alters the bioavailability of digoxin. The secondary objective was to determine whether the magnitude of the pharmacokinetic interaction was influenced by MDR1 genetic polymorphism in exon 26 (C3435T). MATERIAL AND METHODS: (1) The effect of dipyridamole on in vitro P-glycoprotein-mediated, polarized transport of tritium-labeled digoxin was investigated in Caco-2 cell monolayers. (2) Twelve healthy volunteers participated in this open, randomized, 2-period crossover study, in which the effects of dipyridamole (300 mg/d for 3 days) versus placebo on the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of digoxin (0.5 mg) were compared. MDR1 genotyping (exon 26, C3435T) was determined before the study to include 6 homozygous CC and 6 homozygous TT subjects. RESULTS: Dipyridamole inhibited [(3)H]digoxin transport in Caco-2 cells with a 50% inhibitory concentration value of 1.5 +/- 1.5 micromol/L. We observed a 20% and 13% increase in digoxin area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from 0 to 4 hours and AUC from 0 to 24 hours (P <.05), respectively, during dipyridamole administration, which was consecutive to an increase in digoxin absorption. Digoxin AUC from 0 to 4 hours and AUC from 0 to 24 hours were significantly higher among subjects harboring the TT compared with the CC MDR1 genotype: 7.5 +/- 1.2 ng x h x mL(-1) versus 6.1 +/- 0.8 ng x h x mL(-1) and 20.2 +/- 2.1 ng x h x mL(-1) versus 16.8 +/- 1.7 ng x h x mL(-1), respectively (P <.05). Digoxin pharmacokinetic modifications during the dipyridamole period were similar in both genotypes. CONCLUSION: Dipyridamole is an in vitro and in vivo P-glycoprotein inhibitor that increases intestinal digoxin absorption and digoxin plasma concentrations. In light of the modest changes in digoxin pharmacokinetics in the presence of dipyridamole, this drug interaction is probably clinically irrelevant.