Enrolling participants into the study now. Please fill out this survey if you are interested:
DRESS Survivor Study
What is Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (“DRESS”) also known as “Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome”?
- Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) is a serious life threatening but potentially preventable drug-induced disease.
- DRESS is related to common drugs such as anti-infective drugs(vancomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), dapsone, minocycline, antiretrovirals such as nevirapine and raltegravir and others), anticonvulsants and drugs for mood disorders (lamotrigine, phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine), and drugs for gout (allopurinol) as well as many other drugs.
- Strong genetic risk factors have been associated with DRESS that open a pathway to prediction, prevention and improved diagnosis, however many drugs require further research to help in the discovery of new genetic markers, to understand additional genetic factors that explain why not everyone carrying the primary risk gene gets dress and to increase the widespread availability of preventive and diagnostic genetic markers.
What are the Primary Aims of the Study?
- To identify genetic risk factors associated with drug-induced DRESS that will translate into improved pre-prescription preventive strategies and care of DRESS.
- To understand the long-term complications of DRESS.
What Does the Study Require?
- No onsite visit is required.
- Review of medical records that include the time you the diagnosis of DRESS was made and you received acute treatment. Since DRESS often has follow-up complications this may also include records from your dermatologist or other provider.
- Your records will be reviewed by a panel of DRESS experts
- You will be mailed an Oragene oral saliva DNA kit to provide a one-time saliva sample that will be send in a box ready to courier back to us. This will be used as a source o DNA for the genetic typing planned as part of the study.
Who Can Participate?
- Adults & children who have self-identified as having DRESS related to a medication/drug they have taken.
- Willingness to sign an informed consent document to participate in a research study.
- Ability to provide medical records or be able to obtain your medical records to provide to the research study personnel.