title: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus following rituximab-based regimens: a serious complication in both HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative patients.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a well-known complication of lymphoma treatment in the pre-rituximab era. This complication has not been as well studied, however, since monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody became the standard regimen for B cell lymphoma. In this retrospective study, 115 B cell lymphoma patients who received rituximab-containing therapy were analyzed. Of 15 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients, five received lamivudine prophylaxis and did not develop HBV-related hepatitis during lymphoma treatment. Eight of ten HBV carriers without lamivudine prophylaxis experienced HBV-related hepatitis, including one fatal hepatic failure. Four (4.2%) of 95 HBsAg-negative patients developed de novo HBV-related hepatitis and two died of fulminant hepatitis. In conclusion, rituximab-based therapy may cause serious HBV-related complications and even death in both HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hema-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sung-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chuan-Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ming-Chung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Chun
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tsung-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ching-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine; D000069283:Rituximab