HLA (human leukocyte antigen) genes play an important role in the immune system. They help the immune system to identify and respond to foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses.
Certain DNA variations in the HLA-A gene can lead to the so-called HLA-A*3101 allele. This specific HLA-A*3101 allele can lead to hypersensitivity reactions as a result of treatment with carbamazepine.
Carbamazepine is a drug that calms overstimulated nerves in the brain. It is used to treat epilepsy, manic depression, neuralgia, diabetes insipidus and alcohol withdrawal, amongst other things.
In around 10% of people treatment with carbamazepine triggers side effects in the form of skin problems. The severity and nature of these can vary.
In patients who experience mild side effects red bumps and marks can appear on the skin, which spontaneously disappear once the medication is stopped.
However, severe side effects can also occur, such as itching, fever and inflammation of the liver or kidneys. These side effects are referred to by the term hypersensitivity syndrome (HSS/DRESS syndrome).
In rare cases a patient may even experience serious, sometimes life-threatening, side effects, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).
Carbamazepine and HLA-A*3101
As a result of genetic variations, your body may not produce certain proteins or may produce them with an abnormal composition, potentially changing the way in which drugs are processed.
It is known, for example, that mutations in the HLA-A gene may be partly responsible for triggering a hypersensitivity reaction to a carbamazepine treatment. If you are HLA-A*3101 positive, your risk of experiencing side effects is significantly increased. Information about your genetic predisposition may therefore provide grounds for extra vigilance in relation to a treatment with carbamazepine.
Mutations in the HLA-B*1502 and *1511 genes can also increase the risk of adverse drug reactions, which are generally more severe than those associated with HLA-A*3101 positivity.
Read more about Carbamazepine (HLA-A*3101) »
Genetic predisposition
Your individual risk of side effects in the event of treatment with carbamazepine may be partly explained by genetic variations.
It is known, for example, that mutations in the HLA-A gene are partly responsible.
It has been demonstrated that carriers of the HLA-A*3101 allele are genetically predisposed to carbamazepine hypersensitivity. This allele is found in around 4 to 10% of the European population and in 10 to 20% of the Asian population. Studies show that the risk of side effects is roughly 10 times greater in people who are carrier.*
For safety reasons, the KNMP and the CPIC recommend not starting treatment with carbamazepine in patients who are carriers of HLA-A*3101. How you should ultimately proceed is a decision for an attending doctor.
The following genotypes are determined:
- HLA-A*3101 carrier
- HLA-A*3101 non-carrier
* For HLA-B*1502 and HLA-B*1511, carriers of these alleles have an increased risk of severe adverse reactions such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) when treated with carbamazepine or related medications.