title: Rheumatic disorders developed after hepatitis B vaccination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain an overview of rheumatic disorders occurring after hepatitis B vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to rheumatology departments in nine French hospitals. Criteria for entry were rheumatic complaints of 1 week's duration or more, occurrence during the 2 months following hepatitis B vaccination, no previously diagnosed rheumatic disease and no other explanation for the complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients were included. The observed disorders were as follows: rheumatoid arthritis for six patients; exacerbation of a previously non-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus for two; post-vaccinal arthritis for five; polyarthralgia-myalgia for four; suspected or biopsy-proved vasculitis for three; miscellaneous for two.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis B vaccine might be followed by various rheumatic conditions and might trigger the onset of underlying inflammatory or autoimmune rheumatic diseases. However, a causal relationship between hepatitis B vaccination and the observed rheumatic manifestations cannot be easily established. Further epidemiological studies are needed to establish whether hepatitis B vaccination is associated or not with an incidence of rheumatic disorders higher than normal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Dijon University Hospital, France.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Maillefert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sibilia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toussirot
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vignon
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Eschard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorcerie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Juvin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parchin-Geneste
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piroth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wendling
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kuntz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tavernier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaudin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000276:immunology; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines