[Role of genetics in anaesthesia-related variability].

OBJECTIVE: This review discusses variability among patients in anesthesia, due to genetic polymorphisms.

DATA SOURCES: Articles in French and English languages were retrieved from PubMed database. The initial request was "anesth* and (genotyp* or polymorphism* or genetic*)".

STUDY SELECTION: Original articles, general reviews and one case report. Letters were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION: Rare genetic diseases were excluded from the scope of this review. We stressed on frequent genetic polymorphisms that may have a daily impact in anesthesiology.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Most results were related to pain studies. We selected various examples to describe how genetic polymorphisms impacts the pharmacology of a given drug, and what are the clinical consequences.

CONCLUSION: There is a growing field of pharmacogenetic related evidences in anesthesiology. The results from various animal and human studies underline the genetic origin of variability among individuals. How anaesthesists have to integrate these parameters for their daily practice is still unclear, but pharmacogenetic will obviously be a leading field of anesthesia research in the future.