Oral medicine and oral cancer: carbamazepine and HLA screening: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: carbamazepine and HLA screening

Sample item

A man of Southeast Asian ancestry is to start carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia. Screening for which allele reduces the risk of a severe cutaneous reaction?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. HLA-B*1502

HLA-B*1502 is strongly associated with carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in people of Asian ancestry. Testing before treatment is advised, and alternative drugs are used when positive.

Option by option

  • A. HLA-DR4

    HLA-DR4 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

  • B. HLA-B*5701

    HLA-B*5701 predicts hypersensitivity to abacavir.

  • C. HLA-B27

    HLA-B27 is linked to ankylosing spondylitis.

  • D. HLA-B*1502 (correct)

    Correct. HLA-B*1502 predicts carbamazepine-related severe skin reactions.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, HLA-B*1502. HLA-B*1502 is strongly associated with carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in people of Asian ancestry.

Why is "HLA-DR4" not the answer?

HLA-DR4 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

Why is "HLA-B*5701" not the answer?

HLA-B*5701 predicts hypersensitivity to abacavir.

Why is "HLA-B27" not the answer?

HLA-B27 is linked to ankylosing spondylitis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: carbamazepine and HLA screening in Dentistry. Testing before treatment is advised, and alternative drugs are used when positive.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral medicine and oral cancer: carbamazepine and HLA screening?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.