Exploring Potential for a Personalized Medicine Approach to Smoking Cessation With an American Indian Tribe

Abstract

Introduction A potential precision medicine approach to smoking cessation is tailoring pharmacotherapy to a biomarker known as the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR). Little is known about the potential impact and acceptability of this approach for American Indian (AI) persons. Methods Tribal-academic collaboration was formed and during 2019-2020 AI adults who smoke(N=54) were recruited to 1) examine correlations between NMR, dependence, and smoking exposure; 2) assess the extent to which pharmacotherapy preference aligned with NMR-informed recommendations; 3) explore acceptability of NMR-informed pharmacotherapy selection. Participants provided samples for assessment of salivary NMR and urinary total nicotine equivalents (TNE) and completed a questionnaire that assessed cigarettes per day (CPD), Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence (FTCD), pharmacotherapy preference, and perceptions of NMR-informed pharmacotherapy selection. Results Significant positive correlations were observed between NMR and FTCD (r=0.29;p-value=0.0383) and its abbreviated version Heaviness of Smoking Index (r=0.28;p-value=0.0426). Post-hoc analyses suggest relationships between dependence and NMR were driven by time to first cigarette. Non-significant, but directionally consistent, relationships were observed between NMR and CPD (r=0.21;p-value=0.1436) and TNE (r=0.24;p-value=0.2906). Most participants preferred nicotine replacement therapy (71%) over varenicline (29%) and preference for pharmacotherapy matched NMR-based recommendations in 54% of participants. NMR-informed pharmacotherapy selection was supported by 62% of participants. Conclusion In a sample of AI adults who smoke, NMR was related to cigarette dependence and about one-half of participants’ pharmacotherapy preference matched their NMR-informed recommendation. There was lower acceptability of NMR-informed approach in this sample of AI adults than prior studies among White or Black/African American people who smoke. Implications Relationships between NMR, dependence, and self-preference for pharmacotherapy suggest that NMR-informed pharmacotherapy selection may have potential for enhancing smoking quitting success in this Tribe. Lower acceptability of NMR-informed pharmacotherapy in this Tribe suggests that this approach may not be equitably utilized. Future work could include identifying community-driven solutions to mitigate precision medicine concerns.

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