HLA-A3101 and Carbamazepine-Induced Hypersensitivity Reactions in Europeans

A strong association between the HLA-B*1502 allele and SJS and TEN induced by carbamazepine has been shown. This study involving Europeans implicates a different HLA allele, HLA-A*3101, in conferring susceptibility to a broad range of carbamazepine-induced reactions. Carbamazepine is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of epilepsy, as well as trigeminal neuralgia and bipolar disorder. A minority of treated persons have hypersensitivity reactions that vary in prevalence and severity, 1 with some forms associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The mildest form, maculopapular exanthema, occurs in 5 to 10% of treated persons of European ancestry and resolves spontaneously after drug discontinuation. More severe reactions, such as the hypersensitivity syndrome, are associated with mortality of up to 10% 2 and include symptoms such as rash, fever, eosinophilia, hepatitis, and nephritis. The most severe reactions, such as . . .