Hepatitis B reactivation among 1962 patients with hematological malignancy in Taiwan

The risk of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with different hematological malignancy except lymphoma were rarely known before.

A total of 1962 patients with hematological malignancy were enrolled and followed-up at the National Taiwan University Hospital between 2008 and 2013. The clinical characteristics, HBV serology, and laboratory data were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

A total of 1962 patients comprising 1048 men and 914 women were studied. The median age of the patients was 55 years (range, 15-97 years). Chronic HBV carriage was documented at diagnosis of hematological malignancy in 286 (14.6%) patients. A total of 171 (59.8%) of the 286 HBV carriers received primary prophylaxis with anti-HBV agents. Of the HBV carriers, 97 (33.9%) developed hepatitis B reactivation during or after chemotherapy, including 59 patients who had discontinued antiviral therapy. The incidence of hepatitis B reactivation among patients with hematological malignancy and HBV carriage was 10.4 per 100 person-years. A multivariate analysis revealed hepatocellular carcinoma (p < 0.001) and antiviral prophylaxis use (p < 0.001) were independent risk factors of HBV reactivation in HBV carriers. Of the 1676 patients with initial negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) counts, 41 (2.4%) experienced hepatitis B reactivation, reverse seroconversion of HBsAg, and lost their protective hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs). A multivariate analysis revealed that diabetes mellitus (p = 0.005, odds ratio (OR): 0.218, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.076-0.629), allogeneic transplantation (p = 0.013, OR: 0.182, 95% CI: 0.047-0.701), liver cirrhosis (p < 0.001, OR: 0.002, 95% CI: 0-0.047), low anti-HBs titers (p = 0.016, OR: 0.020, 95% CI: 0.001-0.480), and positive hepatitis B core antibody (p = 0.013, OR: 0.070, 95% CI: 0.009-0.571) were independent risk factors of positive seroconversion of HBsAg in patients with hematological malignancy.

The incidence of HBV reactivation among the patients with varying subtypes of hematological malignancy is similar. Prophylaxis with anti-HBV agents critically reduced the risk of hepatitis B reactivation.