Analgesic PredictAR (CYP2D6)
Analgesic PredictAR determines a patients CYP2D6 genotype. This knowledge can help clinicians predict their patients response to commonly prescribed analgesics, thereby improving pain management. The majority of therapeutic drugs used in pain management are metabolised by the liver enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6. The gene that codes for CYP2D6 has a number of clinically significant variants. Approximately 10% of the Australian population has a genetic variant of CYP2D6 that lead them to be known as a “poor metaboliser”, since they have little or no enzyme activity. These patients have a significantly reduced ability to convert codeine to morphine, severely compromising the desired analgesic effect. Poor metabolisers are also at greater risk of adverse side effects as the parent drug circulates through the body longer than normal, resulting in blood levels above the therapeutic range.
A smaller percentage of the population have multiple copies of the CYP2D6 gene, and are known as “ultra-rapid metabolisers”. In these individuals, many analgesics are metabolised at a much faster rate, resulting in the active metabolite being at levels well above the therapeutic range, even though a conventional dose was prescribed.
References: Gasche Y et al. N Engl J Med 2004; 351:227-31. Samer C et al Personalised medicine 2006; 3:239-69.
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| Medicare Rebate: | No |
| Specimen Type: | 4 mL whole blood (EDTA) |
| Test Frequency: | Daily (Mon-Fri) |
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