HLA-B*1502 Allele Associated With Carbamazepine-Induced Epidermal Necrolysis

Epidermal necrolysis (Stevens-Johnson syndrome [SJS] and toxic epidermal necrolysis [TEN]) is a rare, drug-induced, acute, and potentially life-threatening mucocutaneous reaction. Antiseizure medications are frequently implicated. Recently, a strong association was found between HLA-B*1502 and carbamazepine-induced epidermal necrolysis in the Han Chinese population.¹ Rare reports recommend genotyping all Asian patients before initiating carbamazepine treatment.² The present report describes an Asian teenage boy with HLA-B*1502 who developed TEN while being treated with carbamazepine.