Impact of genetic variants on pain and analgesia

Associations of COMT and OPRM1 genetic variants were reported with sensitivity to pain, analgesic requirements as well as side effects of pharmacotherapy in either experimental pain settings or in patients suffering from acute or chronic pain. However, attempts to directly link genotypes to pain states remain largely unsuccessful up to date. Studies associating pain or analgesic demands to single nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes showed inconsistent results in the majority. There is a need for sufficiently powered studies to adequately address this topic. Innovative techniques and accelerating methodologic advances in the field of genetic analysis will help to reveal associations between genetic variants and pain in the near future.