A Danish nationwide questionnaire study of hepatitis B virus screening before immunosuppressive therapy

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Danish nationwide questionnaire study of hepatitis B virus screening before immunosuppressive therapy

AU - Bunyoz, Kristine Ifigenia

AU - Krarup, Henrik

AU - Weis, Nina

PY - 2017/3

Y1 - 2017/3

N2 - Introduction: Difficulty in identifying patients who are at risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation makes it important to screen for HBV before initiating immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate screening procedures for HBV infection before initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and to explore HBV treatment strategies. Methods: All Danish units of haematology, oncology, dermatology, rheumatology and gastroenterology using immunosuppressive agents were invited to fill out a questionnaire for The Danish Database for Hepatitis B and C. Results: A total of 28 (53%) of the 53 included units answered the questionnaire; of which 25 (89.3%) had a guideline regarding screening for HBV serological markers prior to immunosuppressive therapy, but only ten (37%) had a guideline that is in line with the joint guidelines from the national Danish Societies of Infectious Diseases and Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Nineteen (76%) units had a strategy regarding treatment for reactivation before initiating immunosuppressive therapy in case of positive HBV serology. It was not possible to determine the number of HBV reactivations as this was not registered in the ICD-10 system. The Danish Medicines Agency had one report of reactivation. Conclusions: A minority of the units had screening guidelines for HBV reactivation that were in line with the guidelines of the national scientific societies. Screening in accordance with these recommendations should be a goal for all Danish units in order to prevent HBV reactivation.

AB - Introduction: Difficulty in identifying patients who are at risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation makes it important to screen for HBV before initiating immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate screening procedures for HBV infection before initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and to explore HBV treatment strategies. Methods: All Danish units of haematology, oncology, dermatology, rheumatology and gastroenterology using immunosuppressive agents were invited to fill out a questionnaire for The Danish Database for Hepatitis B and C. Results: A total of 28 (53%) of the 53 included units answered the questionnaire; of which 25 (89.3%) had a guideline regarding screening for HBV serological markers prior to immunosuppressive therapy, but only ten (37%) had a guideline that is in line with the joint guidelines from the national Danish Societies of Infectious Diseases and Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Nineteen (76%) units had a strategy regarding treatment for reactivation before initiating immunosuppressive therapy in case of positive HBV serology. It was not possible to determine the number of HBV reactivations as this was not registered in the ICD-10 system. The Danish Medicines Agency had one report of reactivation. Conclusions: A minority of the units had screening guidelines for HBV reactivation that were in line with the guidelines of the national scientific societies. Screening in accordance with these recommendations should be a goal for all Danish units in order to prevent HBV reactivation.

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Hepatitis B/blood

KW - Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification

KW - Humans

KW - Immunosuppressive Agents/adverse effects

KW - Mass Screening

KW - Practice Guidelines as Topic

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Secondary Prevention

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Virus Activation

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28260595

SN - 2245-1919

VL - 64

JO - Danish Medical Journal

JF - Danish Medical Journal

IS - 3

M1 - A5341

ER -