Hepatitis B reactivation in psoriasis patients treated with anti-TNF agents: prevention and management

Abstract: The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation (HBVr) in chronic HBV carriers, in occult HBV patients or in acute HBV patients affected by psoriasis and treated with antitumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a agents is a clinical practice issue to face with, particularly if the treatment has a long-term maintenance finality. The aims of this review are to examine the current knowledge on HBVr incidence in chronic HBV carriers and potential occult carriers undergoing therapy with biologics for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; analyze the prophylactic measure to prevent HBV reactivation and define how to manage HBVr in patients treated with biologics. We searched through PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus databases and evaluated all published manuscripts concerning HBVr in psoriatic patients, both plaquetype and psoriatic arthritis, in treatment with any indicated anti-TNF-α. Although anti-TNFs are considered moderate immunosuppressive drugs, the incidence of HBVr in psoriatic patients is lower compared to patients affected by other immune-mediated diseases treated with TNF inhibitors. HBV prophylaxis should be probably reserved to anti-HBs+/anti-HBc+ patients with a viral load