title: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus with rituximab.
abstract: Rituximab has become a useful drug for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and such autoimmune diseases as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and rheumatoid arthritis. When combined with cytotoxic agents, rituximab showed synergistic effects for the treatment of NHL. In such treatment, hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a crucial complication when patients are treated with immunosuppressive or chemotherapeutic agents. Despite its treatment efficacy, several studies have pointed out unusual viral infections after its administration that resulted in fatal hepatitis due to HBV reactivation. In the cases at the authors' institute, the authors analysed the kinetics of HBV antibodies, HBV-reactivation timing, and the prophylactic efficacy of lamivudine. The authors reviewed their cases and the previous literature to clarify the characteristics of HBV-reactivated patients who were administered rituximab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hakodate Municipal Hospital, Hakodate 041-8680, Japan. rtsutsu@nyc.odn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanamori
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masauzi
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000473:pathology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019259:Lamivudine; D000069283:Rituximab