(Ivanhoe Newswire) – The power to quit smoking may be in your genes. For
the first time, researchers have identified gene patters that appear to
influence how well one responds to specific smoking cessation treatments.
The research was a collaborative effort between Duke University Medical Center,
the National Institute of Drug Abuse, University of Pennsylvania and Brown
University. Study authors scanned the entire human genome looking for genes that
could determine treatment outcomes. They found several genetic variations that
seem to indicate likelihood of success or failure of nicotine replacement
therapy (NRT) and bupropion (Zyban).
Both nicotine replacement therapy and Zyban have helped many people quit
smoking, but they use different pharmacological mechanisms to achieve the goal.
For this study, researchers analyzed DNA of 550 smokers who were part of a quit
smoking study. The participants were randomly assigned to placebo, NRT or
bupropion. They recorded who was successful and then found 41 gene variants for
smokers who used NRT to quit and 26 gene variants for those who used bupropion
to quit smoking.
Study authors say this research provides clues to help doctors match patients
with the right treatment choice. Researchers hope a simple blood test could help
doctors determine the best way for each patient to quit smoking. There are an
estimated 45 million smokers in the U.S.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2008
