Prevalence of HLA-B*5701 and Its Relationship with Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction in Iranian HIV- Infected Patients

Baniasadi, Shadi; Baradaran Shokouhi, Shokoufeh; Tabarsi, Payam; Alehashem, Maryam; Khalili, Hossein; Fahimi, Fanak; Alireza Nadji, Seyed

Prevalence of HLA-B*5701 and Its Relationship with Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction in Iranian HIV- Infected Patients

Authors

Shadi Baniasadi ¹

Shokoufeh Baradaran Shokouhi ²

Payam Tabarsi ³

Maryam Alehashem ¹

Hossein Khalili ⁴

Fanak Fahimi ⁵

Seyed Alireza Nadji ²

¹ Tracheal Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

² Virology Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

³ Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

⁴ Clinical Pharmacy Department, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

⁵ Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) is a major adverse effect of
abacavir (ABC), which occurs in 5-8% of Caucasians. The relationship between
Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) and ABC HSR has been reported in various
populations. It has been proposed to administer ABC only to HLA-B*5701
negative patients to avoid this reaction.
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of HLA-B*5701 in
Iranian HIV positive patients. We also sought to find the relationship between
this allele with ABC HSR in patients who received the medication.
Materials and Methods: We screened patients for HLA-B*5701 allele using
SybrGreen real time PCR-melting method on blood samples from HIV positive
patients who were referred to our hospital. The quality of the extracted genome
was evaluated by B-globin housekeeping gene as internal control prior to HLAB*5701 allele screening.
Results: Of 198 HIV-infected patients, 6 (3.0%) had the HLA-B*5701 allele (95%
CI, 1%–5%). Among the 28 patients who were given ABC, one individual had
the HLA-B*5701 allele and experienced ABC HSR.
Conclusion: Prevalence of HLA-B*5701 in Iranian patients was lower than that
in Caucasians but was comparable with that of other Middle Eastern
populations. Screening for HLA-B*5701 before ABC administration as part of
antiretroviral therapy may reduce the risk of HSR.

Keywords

Abacavir

Antiretroviral therapy

HIV

HLA-B*5701 allele

Hypersensitivity reaction

Iran