A case report of hepatitis B carriage in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis improving following infliximab treatment and a review of the literature

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Capkin, Erhan^a | Karkucak, Murat^{a; *} | Yilmaz, Gürdal^b | Aydin, Kemalettin^b | Tosun, Mehmet^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey | [b] Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Dr. Murat Karkucak, Karadeniz Technical University, Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey. Tel.: +90 462 377 56 13; Fax: +90 462 325 05 18; E-mail: muratkarkucak@yahoo.com

Abstract: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic, chronic and inflammatory disease of uncertain etiology particularly affecting the spine and sacroiliac joints. At present, biological agents are used in cases resistant to treatment. However, there are safety problems regarding the use of these agents in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. We report a case monitored with a diagnosis of AS whose inactive HBV (hepatitis B virus) carrier state improved with antitumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF) treatment (infliximab).

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis, hepatitis B virus, anti-TNF-α

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-2007-202-310

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 20, no. 2-3, pp. 123-125, 2007