Rheumatic disorders developed after hepatitis B vaccination.
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.
Maillefert
J F
JF
Department of Rheumatology, Dijon University Hospital, France.
Sibilia
J
J
Toussirot
E
E
Vignon
E
E
Eschard
J P
JP
Lorcerie
B
B
Juvin
R
R
Parchin-Geneste
N
N
Piroth
C
C
Wendling
D
D
Kuntz
J L
JL
Tavernier
C
C
Gaudin
P
P
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*
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines