title: Hepatitis B virus reactivation after treatment for hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection.
abstract: In coinfected HBV/HCV patients, HBV replication is usually suppressed by HCV over the time. No study to date has evaluated the HBV viremia in long-term follow-up after HCV treatment in hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection. This study aimed to assess the evolution of HBV viremia after HCV treatment in this special population. Ten hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection with dominant HCV infection (HBV lower than 2000 IU/mL) and significant fibrosis were treated with interferon-alpha 3 MU 3×/week for 12 months and could be followed for at least 36 months after HCV treatment. Six cases of HBV reactivation (60%) during follow-up were observed and 5/6 had been successfully treated for HCV. Patients with HBV reactivation received anti-HBV therapy. Our preliminary findings indicate that treatment of hepatitis C in HBV/HCV coinfected hemodialysis patients may favor HBV reactivation. Thus, continued monitoring of HBV viremia must be recommended and prompt anti-HBV therapy should be implemented.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: wahle@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Raul Carlos
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wahle
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Mello
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia Fucuta
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elze Maria Gomes
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christini Takemi
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Emori
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Naomi de Oliveira
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivonete Sandra de Souza
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Eduardo Benedito
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Lucia Gomes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferraz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014766:Viremia; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha
keywords: Coinfection HBV/HCV; Hemodialysis; Reactivation HBV