Prospective study of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with hematological malignancies

• Main Authors: Maurizio Pompili, Maria Basso, Stefan Hohaus, Giulia Bosco, Lorenzo Nosotti, Mariella D’Andrea, Susanna Fenu, Antonio Grieco, Luca Laurenti, Concetta Mirisola, Livio Pagano, Gian Ludovico Rapaccini, Simona Sica, Sergio Storti, Raffaele Landolfi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-03-01
• Series: Annals of Hepatology
• Subjects: Resolved hepatitis B virus infection; Hematological malignancies; Immunosuppression; Reverse seroconversion; Hepatitis B virus reactivation
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665268119307781

Background and aim. The best strategy for managing patients with resolved hepatitis B virus infection (HBsAg negative, anti-HBc antibodies positive with or without anti-HBs antibodies) and hematological malignancies under immunosuppressive therapies has not been defined. The aim of this study was to prospectively analyze the risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation in these patients.Material and methods. Twenty-three patients (20 positive for anti-HBs) were enrolled. Eleven patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autologous in 7 cases, allogeneic in 4 cases) while the remaining 12 were treated with immunosuppressive regimens (including rituximab in 9 cases).Results. During the study no patient presented acute hepatitis. However, three anti-HBc/anti-HBs positive patients who were treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation demonstrated hepatitis B virus reactivation within 12 months from transplant. No one of the remaining patients showed hepatitis B virus reverse seroconversion.Conclusions. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a high risk condition for late hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with resolved infection. Reverse seroconversion seems to be a rare event in anti-HBc/anti-HBs positive patients submitted to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or systemic chemotherapy with or without rituximab.