title: A near-fatal hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir: case report and literature review.
abstract: A near-fatal hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir developed in a 62-year-old HIV-seropositive man who had been sensitized 17 months before presentation. Six days after he was rechallenged, acute respiratory distress developed, requiring mechanical ventilation for 2 weeks. Four days after extubation, he was again rechallenged. Hours later, the patient experienced anaphylactic shock, requiring mechanical ventilation for 3 weeks, aggressive volume resuscitation, and vasopressor support. Recovery was complicated by acute tubular necrosis, digital necrosis, and a GI bleed. This report reviews the mechanisms of action, efficacy, and adverse reactions of abacavir and illustrates the danger of serially rechallenging patients with this agent.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania Health System, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000099227:Abacavir
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D000099227:Abacavir