Allelic frequencies of 60 pharmacogene variants assessed within a Burmese population residing in northeast Indiana, USA.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate 60 SNPs pertaining to drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics in the Burmese refugee population in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area to better inform patient care.
Materials & Methods: Sixty-two self-identified Burmese refugees were genotyped for 60 common SNPs pertaining to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic pharmacogenes. The resulting allelic frequencies were compared with Ensembl's database for surrounding populations to Myanmar and America.
Results: The frequency of OPRM1, CYP2D6, SLCO1B1, MTHFR and VKORC1 were approximately 20% different in the Burmese refugee population as compared with the Ensembl populations.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that genetic differences are expected to affect drug efficacy in patients with a Burmese background.