China. Abacavir: The USA Food and Drug Administration and recommends screening for HLA-B*57:01 in the treatment of HIV with abacovir in Caucasian populations. This screening is widely implemented. It has also been suggested that all individuals found to express this HLA serotype avoid treatment with abacovir. Current trials are underway to evaluate the ability of genetic screening to prevent the DRESS syndrome for dapsone and HLA-B*13:01 in China and Indonesia. Similar trials are underway in Taiwan to prevent phenytoin-induced DRESS syndrome in individuals expressing the CYP2C9*3 allele of CYP2C9 as well as a series of HLA alleles. Treatment Immediate discontinuance of the offending drug or drug(s) is the first and critical step in treating any SCARs disorder. In the past, the mainstay treatment of severe cases of DRESS syndrome was the use, often at high-dosage, of systemic glucocorticoids, relying on the anti-inflammatory actions of these drugs to suppress the eosinophil- and T cell-induced tissue damage caused by the disorder. However, there have been no randomized control trials reporting on the systemic use of these drugs. Rather, there are suggestions that treatment with systemic glucocorticoids is associated with a higher incidence of relapse compared to topical glucocorticoid treatment and may be associated with a higher rate of opportunistic infection. Accordingly, less severe cases of this disorder may be better treated conservatively with general support and, where needed, topical glucocorticoids. Severer cases, particularly those involving significant internal organ involvement, may require systemic corticosteroids and efforts to support heart, kidney, lung, or other organ dysfunctions. Terminology DRESS syndrome is one of several terms that have been used to describe a severe idiosyncratic reaction to a drug that is characterized by a long latency of onset after exposure to the offending medication, a rash, involvement of internal organs, hematologic abnormalities, and systemic illness. Other synonymous names and acronyms include drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS or DHiS), anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, drug-induced delayed multiorgan hypersensitivity syndrome, drug-induced pseudolymphoma, anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome, dapsone syndrome, and dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. See also SCARs Adverse drug reaction Drug allergy Drug intolerance Drug tolerance List of skin conditions Eosinophilic myocarditis associated with the DRESS syndrome References Further reading eMedicine Article Syndromes affecting blood Drug eruptions