The role of the β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) gene in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. We investigated the association between ADRB2 variants and the risk of exacerbations in COPD patients treated with inhaled β2-agonists. Within the Rotterdam Study, a population-based cohort study, we followed 1,053 COPD patients until the first COPD exacerbation or end of follow-up and extracted rs1042713 (16Arg > Gly) and rs1042714 (27Gln > Glu) in ADRB2. Exposure to inhaled β2-agonists was categorised into current, past or non-use on the index date (date of COPD exacerbation for cases and on the same day of follow-up for controls). COPD exacerbations were defined as acute episodes of worsening symptoms requiring systemic corticosteroids and/or antibiotics (moderate exacerbations), or hospitalization (severe exacerbations). The associations between ADRB2 variants and COPD exacerbations were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age, sex, use of inhaled corticosteroids, daily dose of β2-agonists, and smoking. In current users of β2-agonists, the risk of COPD exacerbation decreased by 30% (hazard ratio (HR); 0.70, 95% CI: 0.59-0.84) for each copy of the Arg allele of rs1042713 and by 20% (HR; 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69-0.94) for each copy of the Gln allele of rs1042714. Furthermore, current users carrying the Arg16/Gln27 haplotype had a significantly lower risk (HR; 0.70, 95% CI: 0.59-0.85) of COPD exacerbation compared to the Gly16/Glu27 haplotype. In conclusion, we observed that the Arg16/Gln27 haplotype in ADRB2 was associated with a reduced risk of COPD exacerbation in current users of inhaled β2-agonists.
Keywords: ADRB2 gene; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; exacerbations; inhaled β2-agonists.