High Risk of Clinical Relapse in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection After Cessation of Prophylactic Antiviral Therapy for Rituximab-Containing Chemotherapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 222 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345-1352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Yuan Chang ◽  
Yen-Cheng Chiu ◽  
Fang-Wei Chiu ◽  
Yao-Chun Hsu ◽  
Tai-Chung Tseng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Prophylaxis with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) is recommended to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–positive patients receiving rituximab-based B-cell depletion therapy. However, little is known about the risk of clinical relapse after withdrawal of NA. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 77 noncirrhotic HBsAg carriers with hematological cancer who received rituximab-containing chemotherapy. All of them received either prophylactic entecavir or tenofovir therapy. The risk of clinical relapse and hepatic decompensation after cessation of NA was explored. Results Clinical relapse and hepatic decompensation developed in 25 (32.5 %) and 11 (14.3 %) of the patients, respectively, and 2 patients died of hepatic decompensation. Most of the hepatic events occurred within 1 year (20 of 25; 80.0%) after stopping NA. A higher pretreatment viral load (≥2000 vs <2000 IU/mL) was associated with increased risks of clinical relapse (hazard ratio, 3.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–7.73) and hepatic decompensation (9.91; 2.14–45.92). Of 51 patients with pretreatment viral load <2000 IU/mL, clinical relapse occurred in 10 (19.6 %) and hepatic decompensation in 2 (3.9%). Conclusions Pretreatment HBV DNA ≥2000 IU/mL is associated with increased risk of liver-related disease after cessation of prophylactic NA therapy in patients who received rituximab-containing chemotherapy.

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (22) ◽  
pp. 2765-2772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Hsiang Huang ◽  
Liang-Tsai Hsiao ◽  
Ying-Chung Hong ◽  
Tzeon-Jye Chiou ◽  
Yuan-Bin Yu ◽  
...  

Purpose The role of antiviral prophylaxis in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation before rituximab-based chemotherapy in patients with lymphoma and resolved hepatitis B is unclear. Patients and Methods Eighty patients with CD20+ lymphoma and resolved hepatitis B were randomly assigned to receive either prophylactic entecavir (ETV) before chemotherapy to 3 months after completing chemotherapy (ETV prophylactic group, n = 41) or to receive therapeutic ETV at the time of HBV reactivation and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) reverse seroconversion since chemotherapy (control group, n = 39). Results Fifty-eight patients (72.5%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antibody, and HBV DNA was undetectable in 50 patients (62.5%). During a mean 18-month follow-up period, one patient (2.4%) in the ETV prophylactic group and seven patients (17.9%) in the control group developed HBV reactivation (P = .027). The cumulative HBV reactivation rates at months 6, 12, and 18 after chemotherapy were 8%, 11.2%, and 25.9%, respectively, in the control group, and 0%, 0%, and 4.3% in the ETV prophylactic group (P = .019). Four patients (50%) in the control group had HBsAg reverse seroconversion after HBV reactivation. The cumulative HBsAg reverse seroconversion rates at months 6, 12, and 18 since chemotherapy were 0%, 6.4%, and 16.3% in the control group, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the ETV prophylactic group (P = .032). Patients with detectable or undetectable viral load could develop HBV reactivation and HBsAg reverse seroconversion. Conclusion Undetectable HBV viral load before chemotherapy did not confer reactivation-free status. Antiviral prophylaxis can potentially prevent rituximab-associated HBV reactivation in patients with lymphoma and resolved hepatitis B.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-292
Author(s):  
JAMES CHIN

Transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from mothers who either have an acute HBV infection or who are chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers to their infants has been well documented.1-3 In countries where HBV is hyperendemic, transmission from carrier mothers to their infants has been estimated to be the cause of 20% to 40% of all chronic HBV carriers in the population. Such transmission might account for as many as 50 million chronic HBV carriers throughout the world. Most HBV infections in infants are asymptomatic. Infected infants who develop antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) are presumably immune for life and are not believed to be at any increased risk of subsequent liver disease.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Fen Tsai ◽  
Ching-I Yang ◽  
Jeng-Shiun Du ◽  
Ming-Hui Lin ◽  
Shih-Hao Tang ◽  
...  

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation with a hepatitis flare is a common complication in lymphoma patients treated with immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Anti-HBV prophylaxis is suggested for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients undergoing rituximab therapy, even those with resolved HBV infection. Since anti-HBV prophylaxis for patients with resolved HBV infection is not covered by national health insurance in Taiwan, a proportion of these patients receive no prophylaxis. In addition, late HBV reactivation has emerged as a new issue in recent reports, and no consensus has been reached for the optimal duration of antiviral prophylaxis. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the incidence and outcomes of HBV reactivation in NHL patients in a real-world setting and to study the frequency of late HBV reactivation. Materials Non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients who received rituximab and/or chemotherapy at our institute between January 2011 and December 2015 and who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)- or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)-positive were reviewed retrospectively. Results A total of 388 patients were screened between January 2011 and December 2015. In total, 196 patients were excluded because HBsAg was not assessed, HBcAb was negative or not assessed, or they were not treated with immunosuppressive therapy. Finally, the retrospective study included 62 HBsAg-positive NHL patients and 130 NHL patients with resolved HBV infection (HBsAg-negative and HBcAb-positive). During a median 30.5-month follow-up period, seven patients experienced HBV reactivation, five of whom had a hepatitis flare. The incidence of HBV reactivation did not significantly differ between the HBsAg-positive patients and the resolved HBV infection population without anti-HBV prophylaxis (4.8% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.683). All patients with HBV reactivation were exposed to rituximab. Notably, late HBV reactivation was not uncommon (two of seven patients with HBV reactivation events, 28.6%). Hepatitis B virus reactivation did not influence the patients’ overall survival. An age ≥65 years and an advanced disease stage were independent risk factors for poorer overall survival. Conclusion The incidence of HBV reactivation was similar between the HBsAg-positive patients with antiviral prophylaxis and the resolved HBV infection population without anti-HBV prophylaxis. All HBV reactivation events occurred in NHL patients exposed to rituximab. Late reactivation was not uncommon. The duration of regular liver function monitoring for more than 1 year after immunosuppressive therapy or after withdrawal of prophylactic antiviral therapy should be prolonged. Determining the exact optimal duration of anti-HBV prophylaxis is warranted in a future prospective study for NHL patients treated with rituximab-containing therapy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (10) ◽  
pp. 1576-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Cremer ◽  
Sanne H. I. Hofstraat ◽  
Francoise van Heiningen ◽  
Irene K. Veldhuijzen ◽  
Birgit H. B. van Benthem ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winnie Yeo ◽  
Tung C. Chan ◽  
Nancy W.Y. Leung ◽  
Wai Y. Lam ◽  
Frankie K.F. Mo ◽  
...  

Purpose Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a well-recognized complication in cancer patients with chronic HBV (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] positive) undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. In patients who have resolved HBV (HBsAg negative and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen [anti-HBc] ± antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [anti-HBs] positive), such incidence has been much less common until recent use of rituximab. In this study on HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive lymphoma patients, the objectives were to determine the HBV reactivation rate in patients treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy and to compare it with the rate in patients treated without rituximab. Patients and Methods Between January 2003 and December 2006, all patients diagnosed with CD20+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) had HBsAg determined before anticancer therapy. They were treated with either cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) alone or rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP). HBsAg-negative patients had anti-HBc determined; serum was stored for anti-HBs and HBV DNA. All patients were observed for HBV reactivation, which was defined as detectable HBV DNA with ALT elevation during and for 6 months after anticancer therapy. Results Among 104 CD20+ DLBCL patients, 80 were HBsAg negative. Of the latter, 46 patients (44.2%) were HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive; 25 of these patients were treated with CHOP, and none had HBV reactivation. In contrast, among the 21 patients treated with R-CHOP, five developed HBV reactivation, including one patient who died of hepatic failure (P = .0148). Exploratory analysis identified male sex, absence of anti-HBs, and use of rituximab to be predictive of HBV reactivation. Conclusion Among HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP, 25% developed HBV reactivation. Close monitoring until at least 6 months after anticancer therapy is required, with an alternative approach of prophylactic antiviral therapy to prevent this potentially fatal condition.


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