Association of anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron with G2677T polymorphism in a drug transporter gene ABCB1 in Pakistani population

ABSTRACT

To determine the association of ABCB1polymorphism G2677T with anti-emetic efficacy in patients treated with ondansetron for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. A clinical trial. Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi and Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering, Islamabad, from 2012 to 2013. Four mg ondansetron was administered intravenously 30 minutes before the end of surgery. A total of 246 patients with the complaints of nausea and vomiting and 244 patients without nausea and vomiting were analyzed for G2677T polymorphism using PCR-RFLP method. Results were described as frequency percentages and chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05. The patients with TT genotype had significantly lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting during the first 2 hours [p < 0.001] and between 2 - 24 hours after surgery as compared to other genotypes [p < 0.001]. The patients with GG genotypes had significantly higher incidence of this complaint [p=0.014]. Polymorphism of ABCB1 has an association with responsiveness for ondansetron. There is a role for genetics in the management of PONV