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Genetic Testing of Gout Patients for Allopurinol Sensitivity: Who and How
(AUDIO) New ACR guidelines on gout advise considering a test for the HLA-B*5801 allele linked to allopurinol sensitivity in some patients. This podcast by the co-chair of the panel clarifies the details.
The American College of Rheumatology's new guidelines on gout recommend that you consider genetic testing for patients of certain Asian backgrounds to clarify their risk for adverse reactions to allopurinol. This is the first recommendation for use of the biomarker HLA-B*5801, says Dr. Robert Terkeltaub, co-principal investigator on the guidelines process.
In this podcast, Dr. Terkeltaub describes which patients should be considered for HLA-B*5801 testing, how to obtain the test, and what it means.
Dr. Terkeltaub is interim division chief for rheumatology, allergy, and immunology at the University of California San Diego and chief of the rheumatology section at the VA San Diego Healthcare System
Questions:
1. Why isn't screening for the HLA-B*5801 marker recommended?
2. Who is the genetic test appropriate for?
3. How can a doctor recognize a patient of Han Chinese descent?
4. Why do you think the FDA hasn't included this marker in its list of approved markers for drug sensitivity?
5. How can a rheumatologist go about getting the test, and how much does it cost?
6. Are there any special skills required to interpret the results?
Genetic Testing Gout Patients for Allopurinol Sensitivity: Who and How
SEE ALSO: New ACR Gout Guidelines: What's Missing, What's New
For your reference:
1. Khanna D, Fitzgerald JP, Khanna PP et al. (2012)
Arthritis Care & Research 64(10):1431–1446
2. Zineh I, Mummanen P, Lyndly J et al. (2011) Allopurinol pharmacogenetics: assessment of potential clinical usefulnessPharmacogenomics 12(12): 1741-1749
