Common cutaneous drug reactions

In a few cases, screening for pharmacogenetic variants can predict an increased risk. Patients with these variants can avoid the drug. This has been particularly well demonstrated for the association between the HLA-B*5701 polymorphism and the risk of abacavir-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Han Chinese people with the HLA-B*1502 polymorphism are at increased risk of carbamazepine-induced skin hypersensitivity reactions; those with the HLA-B*5801 polymorphism are at increased risk of allopurinol-induced skin hypersensitivity reactions.[33]Gatanaga H, Honda H, Oka S. Pharmacogenetic information derived from analysis of HLA alleles. Pharmacogenomics. 2008 Feb;9(2):207-14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18370849?tool=bestpractice.com