Follow-up of hepatitis reactivation in hepatitis B virus-infected patients with rheumatic diseases after different immunosuppressive therapy / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in 12 patients with rheumatic disease undergoing immunosuppressive therapy and to evaluate whether preemptive antiviral therapy is necessary for patients receiving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).Methods From January 2008 to March 2012,a total of 12 HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases were consecutively enrolled into this long-term follow-up study.Liver function and serum levels of HBV DNA were tested during the follow-up.Results The medium duration of follow-up was 41 months (range 16-48).Four patients received steroid treatment,and among them two patients without pre-emptive antiviral therapy developed HBV reactivation.After administr-ation of LAM or ETV,HBV replication was controlled in both patients.Five patients were treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the other three patients received tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking agents.None of these patients received pre-emptive antiviral therapy.HBV reactivation did not occur in any of them.Conclusion HBV reactivation does occur in HBV-infected patients with rheumatoid diseases after immunosuppressive therapy.Pre-emptive antiviral therapy should be administered in patients who are receiving steroid therapy for rheumatic diseases.In contrast,DMARDs and TNFBA are relatively safe for HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases.Close monitoring of HBV DNA and ALT levels is necessary to the mana-gement of HBV reactivation.