A proposal for management of rheumatic disease patients with hepatitis B virus infection receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Abstract

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and de novo HBV hepatitis in patients with rheumatic diseases given intensive and long-term immunosuppressive therapy with or without biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs is of great concern, especially in regions where the virus is endemic, including Japan. To ascertain a better benefit-risk balance for immunosuppressive therapy for patients with rheumatic diseases, the Japan College of Rheumatology developed this proposal. All patients with rheumatic diseases commencing immunosuppressive therapy should be screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); those who are negative for HBsAg should be screened for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) as well. HBV carriers and serum HBV DNA positive patients with resolved infection should receive nucleoside analog as soon as possible, prior to commencing immunosuppressive therapy. For serum HBV DNA negative patients with resolved infection, careful monthly monitoring using serum levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and HBV DNA is recommended during and at least 12 months after withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy. If serum HBV DNA becomes positive, patients should receive nucleoside analog treatment as soon as possible, while ongoing immunosuppressive therapy should be continued to avoid severe or fulminant hepatitis development. To facilitate proper management of patients with HBV infection, collaboration between rheumatologists and hepatologists is strongly encouraged.

• Authors: Masayoshi Harigai, Satoshi Mochida, Toshihide Mimura, Takao Koike, Nobuyuki Miyasaka
• Journal: Modern rheumatology (Mod Rheumatol) Vol. 24 Issue 1 Pg. 1-7 (Jan 2014) ISSN: 1439-7609 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24261752 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Antirheumatic Agents
• Immunosuppressive Agents

Topics

• Antirheumatic Agents (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Hepatitis B (complications, immunology)
• Hepatitis B virus (physiology)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Rheumatic Diseases (complications, drug therapy, immunology)
• Virus Activation (drug effects, immunology)