Risk of hepatitis B reactivation: From biologic therapies for psoriasis to immunosuppressive therapies for COVID‑19 (Review)

Baroiu,Liliana; Anghel,Lucreția; Tatu,Alin Laurențiu; Iancu,Alina Viorica; Dumitru,Caterina; Leșe,Ana-Cristina; Drăgănescu,Miruna; Năstase,Florentina; Niculeț,Elena; Fotea,Silvia; Nechita,Aurel; Voinescu,Doina Carina; Stefanopol,Anca Ioana

doi:10.3892/etm.2022.11312

Risk of hepatitis B reactivation: From biologic therapies for psoriasis to immunosuppressive therapies for COVID‑19 (Review)

Authors:
- Liliana Baroiu
- Lucreția Anghel
- Alin Laurențiu Tatu
- Alina Viorica Iancu
- Caterina Dumitru
- Ana-Cristina Leșe
- Miruna Drăgănescu
- Florentina Năstase
- Elena Niculeț
- Silvia Fotea
- Aurel Nechita
- Doina Carina Voinescu
- Anca Ioana Stefanopol
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Affiliations: Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, ‘Dunărea de Jos’ University, 800216 Galati, Romania, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, ‘Dunărea de Jos’ University, 800216 Galati, Romania, Department of Laboratory Medicine, ‘Sf. Cuv. Parascheva’ Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital, 800179 Galati, Romania, Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, ‘George Enescu’ National University of Arts, 700451 Iasi, Romania, Department of Neuropsychomotor Rehabilitation, ‘Sf. Ioan’ Clinical Hospital for Children, 800487 Galati, Romania, Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research, ‘Dunărea de Jos’ University, 800008 Galați, Romania
Published online on: April 12, 2022 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2022.11312
Article Number: 385
Copyright: © Baroiu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The cytokine storm from the evolution of severe cases of COVID‑19, requiring strong immunosuppressive therapies, has raised the issue of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in these patients. An analysis of the first observational studies in patients with COVID‑19 and immunosuppressive therapy and HBV infection along with special clinical cases was presented, as well as personal experience on a series of cases (a group of 958 patients with COVID‑19), compared with the analysis of studies performed on patients with HBV infection that underwent biological therapies for psoriasis and personal experience (a group of 81 psoriasis patients treated with biological therapies). Clinical studies have revealed that HBV reactivation in patients undergoing biological therapies for psoriasis, can be prevented with monitoring and treatment protocols and thus, these therapies have been demonstrated to be safe and effective. In COVID‑19, immunosuppressive therapies are short‑lived but in high doses, and the conclusions of clinical trials are contradictory, but there are published cases of HBV reactivation, which requires a unitary attitude in the prevention of HBV reactivation in these patients. An algorithm was presented for monitoring and treatment of HBV infection for patients with psoriasis treated with biological therapy and the conditions when this protocol can be used for patients with COVID‑19 and immunosuppressive therapy.

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