SJS is a rare but serious inflammatory disorder of the skin that occurs in a variety of settings, but has long been associated with exposure to anticonvulsants such as lamotrigine, carbamazepine, and phenytoin. In 2004, Chung et al [2004] reported that patients of Han Chinese ancestry who developed SJS after exposure to carbamazepine were substantially more likely to carry the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype HLA-B*1502, which is common in persons of Asian ancestry. This finding has been confirmed in other Asian populations, but not in non-Asians, where HLA-B*1502 is rare.
