Genetics and Triptans

A recent study suggests that there may be a genetic reason for why some patients respond well to triptan type drugs, and others don’t.

We can expect to see more and more studies on migraine and genetics.  We know that there is a strong genetic component to migraine, but in most cases we still aren’t ready to diagnose and treat based on genetic factors.  With so many different types of medications and treatments out there (more combinations than you will try in a lifetime), we want a way to predict which patients will respond to which treatments.

A study out of Italy this month found a strong correlation between “STin2 VNTR polymorphism of serotonin transporter gene” and inconsistent response to triptan medications (such as Relpax, Zomig, and Imitrex).  Focusing on biology related to serotonin is a natural way to start, since we know there is a connection between serotonin levels and migraine.

There was one more factor – patients who were not taking preventatives were also less likely to consistently respond well to triptans.

We can consider this another early study on the road to accurately predicting which medication you’ll respond to.  The more we can predict, the more time, money, and suffering we’ll save.  These seemingly "fringe" studies are not fringe at all – they could be the key to a transformation in the treatment of migraine.

Read more about the study here: The serotonin transporter gene polymorphism STin2 VNTR confers an increased risk of inconsistent response to triptans in migraine patients.