title: COMT genotypes and use of antipsychotic medication: linking population-based prescription database to the HUNT study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the impact of codon 158 polymorphism at the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene on prescription of antipsychotic medication in a general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 2623 non-diabetic individuals who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in the period 1995-97 and who were alive 1 January 2004. The subjects were followed up with respect to prescription of antipsychotic medication based on data obtained from the Norwegian prescription database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the group of 76 individuals who had been prescribed antipsychotic medication the distribution did not differ between genotypes and alleles when compared to a control group. For 47 individuals with at least three prescriptions a correlation between median total defined daily doses (DDDs) and genotype groups was found (Spearman's rho, -0.40, p = 0.01), being highest for the Met/Met genotype (250), intermediate for the Met/Val genotype (126) and lowest for the Val/Val genotype (47) (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population-based cohort of 2623 adults, the Val158Met polymorphism at the COMT gene had no major impact on number of individuals who had been prescribed antipsychotic medication. However, linkage to the prescription database may in an indirect way indicate an association between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and treatment response or dose requirements of antipsychotic medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. knut.hagen@ntnu.no
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Lars Jacob
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stovner
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Skorpen
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pettersen
authors.forename: John-Anker
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zwart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population / Q000379:methods*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004151:Dipeptides; C034792:valylvaline; C034758:methionylmethionine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase