AN ADVERSE REACTION TO A DRUG WHICH TAKES PLACE WHILE A PATIENT IS ON MEDICATION IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO DIAGNOSE ACCURATELY.

AN ADVERSE REACTION TO A DRUG WHICH TAKES PLACE WHILE A PATIENT IS ON MEDICATION IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO DIAGNOSE ACCURATELY. THE NATURE OF THE UNDERLYING REACTION MAY HAVE AN IMMUNOLOGIC, TOXICOLOGIC, OR PHARMACOLOGIC BASIS. AMONG THE MOST NOTABLE IMMUNOLOGIC REACTIONS TO DRUGS ARE THOSE WHICH GIVE RISE TO ANTIBODIES THAT, IN THE PRESENCE OF DRUG, ATTACH TO BLOOD CELLS AND DESTROY THEM. THE MOST COMMONLY OBSERVED REACTION RESULTS IN SEVERE AND SOMETIMES LIFE-THREATENING PURPURA CAUSED BY ANTIBODY-MEDIATED DESTRUCTION OF PLATELETS. CURRENTLY, TESTS FOR DRUG ANTIBODIES THAT RESULT IN BLOOD CELL DESTRUCTION ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY STANDARDIZED TO PERMIT THEIR WIDESPREAD APPLICATION IN ROUTINE CLINICAL LABORATORIES, DESPITE THE RECOGNIZED NEED. WE HAVE DEVELOPED METHODOLOGY WHICH EXPLOITS THE TECHNIQUES OF ELISA AND IMMOBILIZED CELL MEMBRANES FOR PRODUCTION OF AN EASILY PERFORMED, STANDARDIZED ASSAY FOR DETECTION OF DRUG-DEPENDENT ANTIBODIES THAT WILL PERMIT RELIABLE ANALYSIS BY ROUTINE CLINICAL LABORATORIES. SEVERAL CRITERIA OF THE ASSAY CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN EVALUATED AND OPTIMIZED. WE HAVE PRODUCED SMALL LOTS OF THE MICROTITER PLATES AND ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING SHELF LIFE AND LOT-TO-LOT REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE PLATES.