Valentina Varisco1, Mauro Viganò1, Alberto Batticciotto1, Pietro Lampertico1, Antonio Marchesoni1, Patrizia Gibertini1, Raffaele Pellerito1, Guido Rovera1, Roberto Caporali1, Monica Todoerti1, Michele Covelli1, Antonella Notarnicola1, Fabiola Atzeni1, Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini2. 1. From the Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; Hepatology Unit, Ospedale San Giuseppe, University of Milan; A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan; Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini, Milan; Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano, Turin; Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia, Pavia; University Rheumatology Department, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (AOU) Policlinico, Bari, Italy.V. Varisco*, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; M. Viganò*, MD, Hepatology Unit, Ospedale San Giuseppe, University of Milan; A. Batticciotto, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; P. Lampertico, MD, PhD, Professor, A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan; A. Marchesoni, MD, Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini; P. Gibertini, MD, Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini; R. Pellerito, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano; G. Rovera, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano; R. Caporali, MD, Professor, Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia; M. Todoerti, MD, Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia; M. Covelli, MD, University Rheumatology Department, AOU Policlinico; A. Notarnicola, MD, University Rheumatology Department, AOU Policlinico; F. Atzeni, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; P. Sarzi-Puttini, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco. 2. From the Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; Hepatology Unit, Ospedale San Giuseppe, University of Milan; A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan; Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini, Milan; Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano, Turin; Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia, Pavia; University Rheumatology Department, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (AOU) Policlinico, Bari, Italy.V. Varisco*, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; M. Viganò*, MD, Hepatology Unit, Ospedale San Giuseppe, University of Milan; A. Batticciotto, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; P. Lampertico, MD, PhD, Professor, A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan; A. Marchesoni, MD, Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini; P. Gibertini, MD, Rheumatology Day Hospital, Istituto Ortopedico G. Pini; R. Pellerito, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano; G. Rovera, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Mauriziano; R. Caporali, MD, Professor, Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia; M. Todoerti, MD, Rheumatology Division, IRCCS Fondazione San Matteo, Università di Pavia; M. Covelli, MD, University Rheumatology Department, AOU Policlinico; A. Notarnicola, MD, University Rheumatology Department, AOU Policlinico; F. Atzeni, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco; P. Sarzi-Puttini, MD, Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale L. Sacco. sarzi.piercarlo@hsacco.it.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, i.e., hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative/antihepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)-positive, undergoing rituximab (RTX)-based chemotherapy for hematological malignancies without anti-HBV prophylaxis are at risk of HBV reactivation, but the risk in such patients receiving RTX for rheumatological disorders is not clear. We evaluated this risk in HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing RTX without prophylaxis. METHODS: Thirty-three HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive outpatients with RA with undetectable HBV DNA by sensitive PCR assay [73% women, median age 60 years, 85% with HBsAg antibodies (anti-HBs), 37% with antihepatitis B envelope antigen] received a median of 3 cycles of RTX (range 1-8) over 34 months (range 0-80) combined with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) without prophylaxis. All underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring during and after RTX administration, including serum HBsAg and HBV DNA measurements every 6 months or whenever clinically indicated. RESULTS: None of the patients seroreverted to HBsAg during RTX treatment, but 6/28 (21%) showed a > 50% decrease in protective anti-HBs levels, including 2 who became anti-HBs-negative. One patient (3%) who became HBV DNA-positive (44 IU/ml) after 6 months of RTX treatment was effectively rescued with lamivudine before any hepatitis flare occurred. Among the 14 patients monitored for 18 months (range 0-70) after RTX discontinuation, no HBV reactivation was observed. CONCLUSION: The administration of RTX + DMARD in patients with RA with resolved HBV infection leads to a negligible risk of HBV reactivation, thus suggesting that serum HBsAg and/or HBV DNA monitoring but not universal anti-HBV prophylaxis is justified.
OBJECTIVE:Patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, i.e., hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative/antihepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)-positive, undergoing rituximab (RTX)-based chemotherapy for hematological malignancies without anti-HBV prophylaxis are at risk of HBV reactivation, but the risk in such patients receiving RTX for rheumatological disorders is not clear. We evaluated this risk in HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing RTX without prophylaxis. METHODS: Thirty-three HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive outpatients with RA with undetectable HBV DNA by sensitive PCR assay [73% women, median age 60 years, 85% with HBsAg antibodies (anti-HBs), 37% with antihepatitis B envelope antigen] received a median of 3 cycles of RTX (range 1-8) over 34 months (range 0-80) combined with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) without prophylaxis. All underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring during and after RTX administration, including serum HBsAg and HBV DNA measurements every 6 months or whenever clinically indicated. RESULTS: None of the patients seroreverted to HBsAg during RTX treatment, but 6/28 (21%) showed a > 50% decrease in protective anti-HBs levels, including 2 who became anti-HBs-negative. One patient (3%) who became HBV DNA-positive (44 IU/ml) after 6 months of RTX treatment was effectively rescued with lamivudine before any hepatitis flare occurred. Among the 14 patients monitored for 18 months (range 0-70) after RTX discontinuation, no HBV reactivation was observed. CONCLUSION: The administration of RTX + DMARD in patients with RA with resolved HBV infection leads to a negligible risk of HBV reactivation, thus suggesting that serum HBsAg and/or HBV DNA monitoring but not universal anti-HBV prophylaxis is justified.
Authors: Norah A Terrault; Anna S F Lok; Brian J McMahon; Kyong-Mi Chang; Jessica P Hwang; Maureen M Jonas; Robert S Brown; Natalie H Bzowej; John B Wong Journal: Hepatology Date: 2018-04 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: Maria R Ciardi; Marco Iannetta; Maria A Zingaropoli; Romina Salpini; Marianna Aragri; Rosanna Annecca; Simona Pontecorvo; Marta Altieri; Gianluca Russo; Valentina Svicher; Claudio M Mastroianni; Vincenzo Vullo Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2018-12-26 Impact factor: 3.835