Association of HTR3A and COMT polymorphisms with electroacupuncture response for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.
Yonghui Zheng, Wenjun Xiao, Yumei Guan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This exploratory, treatment-stratified secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial examined whether three HTR3A and COMT polymorphisms were associated with complete protection (CP) against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in 189 patients with breast cancer. Among the 96 patients allocated to true electroacupuncture (EA), CP rates differed by rs909411 genotype: 42.9% (AA), 32.1% (AG), and 62.3% (GG) (P = 0.027). Adjusted analyses also associated rs4633 with lower odds of CP under a recessive model. No consistent association was found for rs4680, and SNP-by-treatment interactions were not significant.
Key findings
- In the true EA group, CP rates by rs909411 genotype were 42.9% (AA), 32.1% (AG), and 62.3% (GG) (P = 0.027).
- Adjusted rs909411 associations with CP were significant under additive (OR = 2.138, P = 0.027) and recessive (OR = 3.241, P = 0.011) models.
- For rs4633, the adjusted recessive-model association indicated lower odds of CP (OR = 0.059, P = 0.016).
- No consistent rs4680 association or significant SNP-by-treatment interaction was detected.
Why it matters
Variation in response to electroacupuncture may have a genetic component, and these findings identify candidate polymorphisms for further study of complete protection from chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. The results are exploratory and treatment-stratified; they do not establish that genotype predicts benefit from EA compared with sham treatment.
What to keep in mind
This was an exploratory secondary analysis of a randomized trial, and the reported genotype associations arose from treatment-stratified analyses. No significant SNP-by-treatment interactions were detected.