Klin Farmakol Farm. 2012;26(4):186-189

Pharmacogenetics and drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions

Jan Strojil, Hana Suchánková

Ústav farmakologie LF UP a FN Olomouc

Drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions, despite their relatively low incidence, present a significant problem for patients, physicians, the

health-care system and pharmaceutical industry alike. Drug induced liver injury is one of the most common reasons for marketing

authorization withdrawal. Hypersensitivity reactions are difficult to predict and often stay undetected during clinical trials leading to

drug authorization. In the last decade, a number of genetic markers, mostly in the MHC system, have been identified helping to identify

patients at an increased risk of these immunologically mediated adverse reactions. This paper reviews the drugs for which these findings

have been translated into routine clinical practice and discusses some of the problems hampering efforts to translate more basic research

results into new diagnostic tests conferring a safety benefit for the patient. Future research will require coordinated international cooperation

to overcome epidemiologic and methodological obstacles preventing acceptance of more genetic tests helping us to identify

patients with higher risk of hypersensitivity and thus choose the right drug for the right patient.

Keywords: hypersensitivity, pharmacogenetics, abacavir, carbamazepine, HLA, polymorphism

Published: December 1, 2012  Show citation