Current findings related to nicotine addiction and related physiologic-metabolic processes create a biological basis to consider the role of interindividual genetic differences governing smoking behavior.
This study examined associations between smoking cessation and a set of potential risk factors measured in a group of adult cigarette smokers participating in a computed tomography (CT) lung cancer screening program. The investigation of non-genetic factors focused on the relationship between CT results and smoking cessation. The investigation of genetic factors attempted to determine genetic influences on the relationship between the dopamine pathway and smoking cessation by examining genetic variation in the dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2: TaqIA, TaqIB, C957T, 141C Ins/Del) and dopamine transporter (SLC6A3).
Participants were part of the Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study (PLuSS), a research based low-dose CT screening program containing current and former cigarette smokers, ages 50 to 79. These analyses were restricted to baseline smokers who indicated their smoking status at follow-up. Non-genetic factors were assessed for all eligible members of the cohort; genetic factors were assessed for a subset.
A CT scan of the lungs that resulted in a referral was significantly associated with abstinence (for more than 30 days) at one year. The relative risk of being abstinent at one year after receiving a CT referral was 1.39 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.14-1.70). After controlling for the matching variables and other genotypes, the DRD2 TaqIA polymorphism was significantly associated with being abstinent at one year (p=0.01). Compared to participants with the A2A2 genotype, participants who carried at least one variant allele (A1) were less likely to be abstinent (Odds Ratio: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.24-0.94). SLC6A3 genotype was not associated with abstinence at one-year (p=0.757). No significant gene-gene interaction with TaqIA was observed.
CT screening can create a teachable moment for smoking interventions. The association between TaqIA and abstinence at one year supports the hypothesis that genetic variation in the dopamine pathway influences smoking cessation.
Public Health Significance: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Identifying genetic variations that influence smoking behaviors could enhance treatment options for smoking cessation. This dissertation identified both non-genetic and genetic influences on smoking cessation. Consideration of those influences in the selection of quitting regimens may improve success rates thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality due to continued cigarette smoking.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-06152006-141415 |
| Date | 08 August 2006 |
| Creators | Styn, Mindi Annette |
| Contributors | Stephanie R. Land, PhD, Joel L. Weissfeld, MD, MPH, Marjorie Romkes, PhD, Kenneth A. Perkins, PhD |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-06152006-141415/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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