Analysis of body constitution of fifty-two patients with stevens-johnson syndrome (SJS) using kampo medical questionnaires: Prediction of SJS based on body constitution using decision tree

Abstract

Reports have indicated a relationship between adverse drug reaction (ADR) and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) polymorphism and a relationship between Body Constitution (BC) and HLA polymorphism. Thus, a relationship between ADR and BC is suggested. We therefore created a questionnaire (hereinafter "Questionnaire") to survey the typical BC of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) patients to determine how they differ from healthy persons, and studied the relationship between the development of SJS and BC. The Questionnaire had 30 typical items selected from those relevant to the BC necessary for the diagnosis and therapy of Sho-syndrome in Kampo Medicine. In the comparison of the prevalence of BCs between SJS patients and control persons, the prevalence of three BCs in the SJS group was significantly higher than that in the control group: 1) Does your throat ever feel closed up? Answer: Yes, 2) Do you easily feel hot flashes or burning cheeks even though your hands and feet feel cold? Answer: Yes, and 3) Do your lips or gums look dull red? Answer: Yes. in the analysis using the decision tree, the concentrated group of SJS patients (eighty- fold) was extracted using two decision trees consisting of 3 index variables. Persons with BCs from any of 1) to 3) are suggested to be at high risk of developing SJS. © 2011 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.