The largest prospective warfarin-treated cohort supports genetic forecasting

Blood. 2009 Jan 22;113(4):784-92. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-04-149070. Epub 2008 Jun 23.

Abstract

Genetic variants of cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) and vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) are known to influence warfarin dose, but the effect of other genes has not been fully elucidated. We genotyped 183 polymorphisms in 29 candidate genes in 1496 Swedish patients starting warfarin treatment, and tested for association with response. CYP2C9*2 and *3 explained 12% (P = 6.63 x 10(-34)) of the variation in warfarin dose, while a single VKORC1 SNP explained 30% (P = 9.82 x 10(-100)). No SNP outside the CYP2C gene cluster and VKORC1 regions was significantly associated with dose after correction for multiple testing. During initiation of therapy, homozygosity for CYP2C9 and VKORC1 variant alleles increased the risk of over-anticoagulation, hazard ratios 21.84 (95% CI 9.46; 50.42) and 4.56 (95% CI 2.85; 7.30), respectively. One of 8 patients with CYP2C9*3/*3 (12.5%) experienced severe bleeding during the first month compared with 0.27% of other patients (P = .066). A multiple regression model using the predictors CYP2C9, VKORC1, age, sex, and druginteractions explained 59% of the variance in warfarin dose, and 53% in an independent sample of 181 Swedish individuals. In conclusion, CYP2C9 and VKORC1 significantly influenced warfarin dose and predicted individuals predisposed to unstable anticoagulation. Our results strongly support that initiation of warfarin guided by pharmacogenetics would improve clinical outcome.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Algorithms
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / genetics*
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Hemorrhage / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pharmacogenetics*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Warfarin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Warfarin
  • CYP2C9 protein, human
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases