title: Antiviral efficacy analysis of telbivudine concurrent with the first cycle of chemotherapy in HBsAg-positive lymphoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HBV reactivation is a common complication in HBsAg-positive lymphoma patients with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. There is no standard antiviral treatment for these patients undergoing chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The initial time, the agent and the duration time are confused at present.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the antiviral efficacy of telbivudine concurrent with initiation of chemotherapy in HBsAg-positive patients with lymphoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2008 and October 2012, 359 patients with pathological diagnoses of lymphoma were admitted to the hospital. Among those, a cohort of 60 HBsAg-positive cases were included in this retrospective study, and telbivudine was taken at the same day or one day prior to the first cycle of chemotherapy. The rates of HBV reactivation, virological response, undetectable HBV DNA, the relationship between HBV reactivation and its clinical characteristics were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of HBV reactivation was 11.7% (7/60), while it was 17.5% (7/40) and 75% (3/4) in patients treated with rituximab based chemotherapy and rituximab maintenance therapy, respectively. The fulminant hepatitis rate was 6.6%. The rates of virological response, undetectable HBV DNA and ALT normalization were 88.3%, 61.7% and 83.3%, respectively. HBV reactivation was associated with rituximab (P = 0.013), and HBeAg-negativity (P = 0.016), but not correlated with age, gender, clinical stages, extranodal disease, bone marrow involvement, B symptoms, HBV viral loads or serum LDH level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concurrent telbivudine treatment with initial chemotherapy can effectively reduce HBV reactivation in HBsAg-positive lymphoma patients, and the efficacy is independent of the baseline HBV viral loads.
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma Division, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 123 Huifu Road, Guangzhou 510080, China. Electronic address: liwy1206@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma Division, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 123 Huifu Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma Division, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 123 Huifu Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Hanguo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma Division, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 123 Huifu Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma Division, Cancer Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 123 Huifu Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Zhanli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine
keywords: Antiviral therapy; HBV reactivation; HBsAg-positive lymphoma; Telbivudine; Telbivudine concurrent with chemotherapy