Association of anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron with g2677t polymorphism in a drug transporter gene abcb1 in pakistani population

Objective: To determine the association of ABCB1 polymorphism G2677T with anti-emetic efficacy in patients treated with ondansetron for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Study Design: A clinical trial. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi and Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering, Islamabad, from 2012 to 2013. Methodology: 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. Results: 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). Conclusion: Polymorphism of ABCB1 has an association with responsiveness for ondansetron. There is a role for genetics in the management of PONV. (author)