Hepatitis B virus markers in children with acute leukemia: The effect of chemotherapy

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus markers were tested in the serum of 49 children with acute leukemia on clinical presentation and during subsequent chemotherapy. Hepatitis B surface antigenemia was observed in only six patients (12%), none of whom progressed to chronic infection. Chemotherapy had a marked suppressive effect on the production of antibodies to hepatitis B virus antigens and overt infection occurred in two children after suppression of protective immunity. Evidence of liver damage was frequently observed and was largely independent of serologic data. These results indicate that active immunization with hepatitis B vaccine may not find a clear place in this clinical setting.

Acute and chronic hepatitis in childhood leukemia: A multicentric study from the italian pediatric cooperative group for therapy of acute leukemia (AIL‐AIEOP)

“…The incidence of chronic HBV infection in children with leukemia was higher in this multicentric study compared to that found in similar patients collected in one unit only [13]. This could be due to epidemiological differences, since patients from different regions of Italy were included in this study.…”

Liver histology after current intensified therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: microvesicular fatty change and siderosis are the main findings

“…There are only few reports of hepatic damage attributed to cyclophospamide [20,21] or doxorubicin [22]. In many of the previous studies viral hepatitis has obscured the hepatotoxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agents by inducing chronic liver disease in patients treated for leukemia [23][24][25][26][27].…”

Acute Pancreatitis Complicating Spontaneous Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…6 Moreover, immunosuppressive therapy, to which these patients are submitted, can play an important role, since it predisposes to higher levels of viral replication in organs where the virus can persist only in normal circumstances. 7 The increase in hepatitis B viral replication also has been shown to occur in patients taking chemotherapy 9,10 and corticosteroids. 11,12 However, acute pancreatitis that was developed in healthy HBV carriers with spontaneous acute exacerbation of chronic HBV infection is rare.…”