Fulminant Liver Failure due to Hepatitis B Reactivation During Treatment With Tocilizumab

Tocilizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 receptor that is frequently used for the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Since patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were excluded from pivotal trials, the risk of HBV reactivation with this novel drug...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inACG case reports journal Vol. 6; no. 12; p. e00243
Main Authors Sonneveld, Milan J, Murad, S Darwish, van der Eijk, A A, de Man, R A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Wolters Kluwer 01.12.2019
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Case Report
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Summary:Tocilizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 receptor that is frequently used for the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Since patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were excluded from pivotal trials, the risk of HBV reactivation with this novel drug class remains uncertain. We present the first case of tocilizumab-associated HBV reactivation resulting in fulminant hepatic failure and a need for liver transplant. Our findings underscore the need for prophylactic antiviral therapy in patients being treated with novel immunosuppressive agents.
ISSN:2326-3253
2326-3253
DOI:10.14309/crj.0000000000000243