Understanding the Role of Genetic Heterogeneity in Smoking Interventions: Experimental Evidence from the Lung Health Study
We examine whether genome-wide summary measures of genetic risk known as polygenic indices (PGIs) provide new insights into the efficacy of the Lung Health Study (LHS)–a large, randomized controlled trial (RCT) that evaluated the effect of a smoking cessation intervention program on cessation maintenance and lung function. Results indicate that the intervention was less successful for participants with higher PGIs for smoking initiation and intensity. Given the increasing availability and affordability of genomic data, we argue that in the context of RCTs, PGIs can further our understanding of heterogeneous treatment effects and the mechanisms that may be driving them.
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