You are now leaving Abacavir HSR Support. ViiV Healthcare does not recommend, endorse or accept liability for sites controlled by third parties.

Understand HSR

What is an abacavir HSR?

Abacavir is associated with a risk for hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) characterised by fever and/or rash with other symptoms indicating multi-organ involvement.

An abacavir hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) is an idiosyncratic reaction.

The approximate reporting rate of abacavir HSR in clinical trials was:

  • 1% in trials that excluded subjects testing positive for the HLA-B*5701 allele1
  • 5% in trials where HLA-B*5701 screening was not performed2

Abacavir HSR is clinically well characterised:3

  • Most HSR include fever and/or rash
  • Other symptoms include respiratory, gastrointestinal and constitutional symptoms such as lethargy and malaise.
  • Multiple symptoms are typical in most cases of hypersensitivity

Diagnosis is complicated by:4

  • Variable presentation with nonspecific symptoms
  • Concomitant use of other antiretroviral medications whose adverse event profiles overlap

References:

  1. Calculated from published data for four Marketing Authorisation Holder clinical trials: Post F et al. JAIDS. 2010; 55(1): 49-57*, Young B et al. AIDS. 2008; 22: 1673-1675*, Wohl DA et al. PLoS One. 2014; 9(5): e96187*, Walmsley SL et al. N Engl J Med. 2013; 369(19): 1807-1818*
  2. Cutrell et al. Ann Pharmacother. 2004; 38: 2171-2172.*
  3. Hernandez et al. Abstract presented at: 15th International AIDS Conference; July 11-16, 2004; Bangkok, Thailand. Note: Symptomatology was evaluated from clinical trials where HLA B*5701 screening was not performed.
  4. Hughes et al. Pharmacogenomics J. 2008; 8: 365-374.*

* ViiV Healthcare does not recommend, endorse or accept liability for sites controlled by third parties.