Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) frequently occur after surgical procedures. Despite predictive risk scores and the number of prophylactic antiemetic treatments, it still affects around 30% of the patients. This can further reduce their well-being and increase the burden of postoperative care. The present study characterized selected genetic risk factors of PONV to improve the identification of at-risk patients. It genotyped 601 patients followed during the first 24 h after surgery for PONV symptoms without any antiemetic prophylaxis. It recruited patients in the frame of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study that investigated the efficacy of dexamethasone as a treatment for established PONV. 

The study examined the impact of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located around 13 different genes and the predicted activity of 6 liver drug-metabolizing enzymes from the cytochromes P450 family (CYP) on the PONV occurrence and recurrence. 

This genetic study confirmed the importance of genetic variations in the type 3B serotonin receptor in the occurrence of PONV. Modeling suggested that patients at risk of PONV might benefit from having the rs3782025 genotype taken into account in preoperative risk assessments.

Gloor Y, Czarnetzki C, Curtin F, Gil-Wey B, Tramèr MR, Desmeules JA. Genetic Susceptibility Toward Nausea and Vomiting in Surgical Patients. Frontiers in Genetics. 2022;12. DOI=10.3389/fgene.2021.816908