Liver - Original Article

Vol. 29 No. 5 (2018): 2018.29.5-Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology

Reactivation rates in patients using biological agents, with resolved HBV infection or isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity

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Aslı Haykır Solay
Ali Acar
Fatma Eser
Ferit Kuşcu
Emin Ediz Tütüncü
Gülnur Kul
Gönül Çiçek Şentürk
Yunus Gürbüz

Abstract

<strong style="text-align: justify;">Background/Aims<span style="text-align: justify;">: Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors and ustekunimab are widely used in autoimmune diseases. It is known that these biological agents cause the reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV). There is no standardized strategy to prevent the reactivation in patients with evidence of a previous HBV infection. In our study, anti-HBc IgG-positive patients who received a biological agent were evaluated in terms of HBV reactivation.</span>
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Materials and Methods: Patients who were followed up for the use of biological agents in our clinic were evaluated retrospectively. Patients with isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity were included in the study. The HBV reactivation data were recorded from the patients’ files retrospectively. <o:p></o:p>
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Results: Two hundred and seventy-eight patients who received biological treatment were evaluated. Twenty-nine patients with isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity or resolved HBV infection were included in the study. The HBV reactivation was seen in 5 patients (17.2%). Of these patients, 3 were using adalimumab, 1 infliximab, and 1 ustekunimab. It was controlled by antiviral therapy that was started in the early period. <o:p></o:p>
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Conclusion: Drugs that block TNF-α and ustekunimab cause an increase in viral replication. In literature, the HBV reactivation rate was approximately 1% in HBsAg-negative, anti-HBC IgG-positive cases, whereas it was found to be as high as 17.2% in our study. Patients receiving the immunomodulator therapy should be evaluated for HBV serology before treatment and carefully monitored for HBV reactivation during and after treatment. <o:p></o:p>
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Cite this article as: Solay AH, Acar A, Eser F, et al. Reactivation rates in patients using biological agents, with resolved HBV infection or isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity. Turk J Gastroenterol 2018; 29: 561-5.<o:p></o:p>

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