Successful lamivudine therapy for post-chemotherapeutic fulminant hepatitis B in a hepatitis B virus carrier with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: case reportand review of the literature

Citation
Y. Kawai et al., Successful lamivudine therapy for post-chemotherapeutic fulminant hepatitis B in a hepatitis B virus carrier with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: case reportand review of the literature, ANN HEMATOL, 80(8), 2001, pp. 482-484
Citations number
17
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Review
Categorie Soggetti
Hematology,"Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Journal title
ANNALS OF HEMATOLOGY
ISSN journal
0939-5555 → ACNP
Volume
80
Issue
8
Year of publication
2001
Pages
482 - 484
Database
ISI
SICI code
0939-5555(200108)80:8<482:SLTFPF>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), especially after withdrawal of cor ticosteroids is a well-known complication during chemotherapy for lymphoma. The high mortality makes this complication one of the major obstacles to c ompleting the standard treatment for lymphoma in HBV carriers. We report a 58-year-old Japanese male HBV carrier who developed fulminant hepatitis aft er chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin. Lamivudine was intro duced since his hepatitis was progressive under supportive treatment and sh owed an elevated level of HBV DNA. After initiation of lamivudine, HBV DNA decreased to be below the limit of detection within 3 weeks, and all chemic al tests for liver function recovered to the normal level within 4 weeks, e xcept for a slight elevation of total-bilirubin. There were no remarkable a dverse effects observed. To the best of our knowledge, six cases of post-ch emotherapeutic fulminant hepatitis including ours have been treated with la mivudine. A review of these cases indicated that lamivudine induced a promp t antiviral, biochemical, and clinical response. Lamivudine is highly recom mended for post-chemotherapeutic fulminant hepatitis caused by reactivation of HBV.