Genotype-phenotype association between HLA and carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity reactions: strength and clinical correlations

J Dermatol Sci. 2014 Feb;73(2):101-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2013.10.003. Epub 2013 Oct 22.

Abstract

Background: Increasing studies reported genetic susceptibility to drug hypersensitivity reactions, as exemplified by the HLA-A*31:01 and HLA-B*15:02 association with carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced hypersensitivity reactions, such as maculopapular exanthema (MPE), drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).

Objective: To carry out a comprehensive analysis on the clinical spectrum and HLA genotype-phenotype correlations in CBZ-induced hypersensitivity reactions.

Methods: We analyzed the clinical information of 194 patients with CBZ hypersensitivity (51 MPE, 23 DRESS, 112 SJS/TEN, and 8 cases with other phenotypes), and 152 CBZ-tolerant controls. All are Han Chinese. We examined the HLA-A/HLA-B genotypes, gene dosage, and drug dosage effects.

Results: CBZ-SJS/TEN showed the strongest association with the HLA-B*15:02 allele (Pc=5.8×10(-43); odds ratio (OR) (95% CI)=97.6(42.0-226.8)), in which HLA-B*15:02 was identified in all patients (25/25) with SJS/TEN with >5% body surface area (BSA) skin detachment, but lost its 100% association (85.1%, 74/87) in SJS with <5% BSA detachment. In contrast, HLA-B*40:01 showed negative association with CBZ-induced SJS/TEN ((Pc=8.3×10(-5); OR (95% CI)=0.22(0.1-0.4)). By comparison, CBZ-induced MPE/DRESS had no association with HLA-B*15:02, but linked to HLA-A*31:01 (Pc=2.7×10(-3); OR (95% CI)=6.86(2.4-19.9), and HLA-B*51:01 (Pc=0.01; OR (95% CI)=4.56(2.0-10.5)). No gene dosage or CBZ dosage effects was observed.

Conclusion: This study reported the different strength of HLA association with CBZ hypersensitivity in Han Chinese. With the increasing application of pharmacogenetic markers, the HLA genotype-phenotype correlations and the results of the test need to be carefully interpreted for CBZ-induced hypersensitivity reactions.

Keywords: BSA; CBZ; CI; Carbamazepine; DIHS; DRESS; Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms; EM; FDE; HLA; Human leukocyte antigens; MPE; Maculopapular exanthema; OR; SJS; Stevens–Johnson syndrome; TEN; body surface area; carbamazepine; confidence interval; drug induced hypersensitivity syndrome; drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms; erythema multiforme; fixed drug eruption; human leukocyte antigen; maculopapular exanthema; odds ratio; toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anticonvulsants / adverse effects*
  • Carbamazepine / adverse effects*
  • Child
  • China
  • Cohort Studies
  • Drug Hypersensitivity / genetics*
  • Eosinophilia / genetics
  • Exanthema / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Dosage
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • HLA Antigens / genetics*
  • HLA-A Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-B15 Antigen / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pharmacogenetics
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • HLA Antigens
  • HLA-A Antigens
  • HLA-A*31:01 antigen
  • HLA-B*15:02 antigen
  • HLA-B15 Antigen
  • Carbamazepine