Prevalence and clinical outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection in patients with aplastic anemia.

The association of HBV infection with other hematopoietic diseases has been discussed previously. However, the clinical significance and clinical outcomes of HBV infection in AA patients have not been clarified. In this study, we sought to investigate the prevalence and related events of HBV in patients with AA who received immunosuppressive therapy. We retrospectively analyzed 245 patients with acquired AA. The HBsAg positivity rate was 14.69% in this group of AA patients. No significant difference was observed in the severity of AA patients with HBV infection and in those without (P = 0.6358). HBV reactivation occurred in 4.76% of HBsAg-positive patients who received ATG/ALG + CsA treatment without anti-viral prophylaxis. HBV-infected patients who received CsA alone did not develop reactivation. Patients with HBV reactivation showed favorable clinical outcomes, with no HBV-related deaths. There was no significant difference in overall probability of survival in patients with different HBV infection status (P = 0.8617). Given the low rate of reactivation and favorable outcomes after reactivation in AA patients, close monitoring of HBV DNA, hepatic function and patient immune status may be a more effective approach than routine prophylaxis for AA patients with HBV infection undergoing ATG/ALG + CsA treatment. Further studies are warranted to clarify the optimal time to initiate anti-viral treatment.