MAYO CLINIC ON-LINE

HLA-B*5801 Testing for Allopurinol Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions

Allopurinol is a widely used treatment for hyperuricemia-related diseases, but the drug carries the risk of severe adverse cutaneous drug reactions including Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. This hypersensitivity reaction to allopurinol has been linked to the HLA-B*5801 allele, which is present in both susceptible and healthy individuals at frequencies that vary by ethnicity. Pretreatment testing for HLA-B*5801, in either blood or saliva, can help identity those at risk for these complications.

Dr. John Logan Black, Co-director of the Nucleotide Polymorphism Laboratory, a consultant in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and a professor in the College of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota presents, HLA-B*5801 Testing for Allopurinol Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions. To watch or read the presentation, visit the Hot Topic. To access Hot Topics as video podcasts, visit the Podcast page. Physician Audience: General Practitioners, Nephrologists, Urologists, Rheumatologists

Algorithm:  Acute Tick-Borne Disease

Algorithms are step-by-step procedures to guide clinicians and laboratorians in appropriate laboratory test ordering. Insights gained from algorithms should be shared with clinicians as a way to improve patient care, increase efficiency, and reduce costs.

To view this algorithm, click here:

Acute Tick-Borne Disease Testing Algorithm