RESEARCH - Short-term course of chronic hepatitis B and C under treatment with Enbrel associated with different DMARDs without antiviral prophylaxis

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J Rheumatol. 2008 Mar;35(3):421-4. Epub 2008 Jan 15.

Short-term course of chronic hepatitis B and C under treatment with

etanercept associated with different disease modifying antirheumatic

drugs without antiviral prophylaxis.

Cansu DU, Kalifoglu T, Korkmaz C.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eskisehir

Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term course of chronic hepatitis B

and C under treatment with etanercept (ETN) associated with different

disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD). METHODS: Patients with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving

anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) were retrospectively reviewed for

the presence of hepatitis B or C serology, liver function tests, liver

biopsy findings, and the relevant outcomes in terms of viral load.

RESULTS: We identified 5 relevant cases receiving ETN, 3 RA patients

with chronic hepatitis C, another RA patient with dual infection by B

and C, and one AS patient with hepatitis B. Four patients met the

American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA. The patient with AS

fulfilled the modified New York diagnostic criteria for AS. In Case 1,

ETN was started after having discontinued a-interferon and ribavirin

due to viral clearance of hepatitis C. These patients had not received

prophylactic antiviral therapy while being treated with ETN. Viral

replication increased in 2 patients to an insignificant level,

remained negative in 2, and decreased in the remaining one. No

significant rise in patients' liver transaminases could be determined

during followup.

CONCLUSION: We observed reactivation of hepatitis C virus infection in

2 of 4 patients while they were receiving ETN with DMARD without

antiviral prophylaxis.

PMID: 18203328

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18203328

--

Not an MD

[Guest guest]

Thank you . I will take this to my Dr but it seems to reinforce what he

claims...

<Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...> wrote: J

Rheumatol. 2008 Mar;35(3):421-4. Epub 2008 Jan 15.

Short-term course of chronic hepatitis B and C under treatment with

etanercept associated with different disease modifying antirheumatic

drugs without antiviral prophylaxis.

Cansu DU, Kalifoglu T, Korkmaz C.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eskisehir

Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term course of chronic hepatitis B

and C under treatment with etanercept (ETN) associated with different

disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD). METHODS: Patients with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving

anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) were retrospectively reviewed for

the presence of hepatitis B or C serology, liver function tests, liver

biopsy findings, and the relevant outcomes in terms of viral load.

RESULTS: We identified 5 relevant cases receiving ETN, 3 RA patients

with chronic hepatitis C, another RA patient with dual infection by B

and C, and one AS patient with hepatitis B. Four patients met the

American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA. The patient with AS

fulfilled the modified New York diagnostic criteria for AS. In Case 1,

ETN was started after having discontinued a-interferon and ribavirin

due to viral clearance of hepatitis C. These patients had not received

prophylactic antiviral therapy while being treated with ETN. Viral

replication increased in 2 patients to an insignificant level,

remained negative in 2, and decreased in the remaining one. No

significant rise in patients' liver transaminases could be determined

during followup.

CONCLUSION: We observed reactivation of hepatitis C virus infection in

2 of 4 patients while they were receiving ETN with DMARD without

antiviral prophylaxis.

PMID: 18203328

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18203328

--

Not an MD

Raniolo