A Case of Hypersensitivity Reaction Induced by Abacavir in an AIDS Patient.
- Author:
Seong Joo KO
1
;
Sang Taek HEO
;
Jin Seok KIM
;
Young Ree KIM
;
Jae Wang KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea. cadevar@paran.com
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Abacavir;
HLA-B antigens;
Hypersensitivity
- MeSH:
Alleles;
Antiviral Agents;
Dideoxynucleosides;
Edema;
Exanthema;
Fever;
HIV Infections;
HLA-B Antigens;
Humans;
Hypersensitivity;
Korea;
Lymph Nodes;
Male;
Mass Screening;
Middle Aged;
Neck;
Prescriptions;
Prevalence;
Respiration;
RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2012;83(1):136-140
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that is commonly used in HIV-infected patients. A well-known and potentially life-threatening side effect of abacavir is allergic hypersensitivity reaction. A screening test for the HLA-B*5701 allele is currently used to predict the risk of hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. This test, however, may be less useful in Korea, because of the low prevalence of HLA-B*5701. A 52-year-old male with HIV infection was referred to our hospital because of suspected side-effects of antiviral agents and lymph node enlargement of the neck. He suffered from a fever, generalized edema, skin rash of the whole body, and difficulty breathing after starting antiviral agents. Suspected as a hypersensitivity reaction resulting from drug side-effects, prescription of abacavir was stopped. The patient subsequently recovered. The presence of the HLA-B*5701 allele was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction-sequencing based typing (PCR-SBT).
