Hepatitis B surface antigen reverse seroconversion after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation according to the baseline serological marker levels and vaccination status: a single-center database analysis

Hepatitis B is a major prognostic factor after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Currently, no consensus exists regarding the management of various scenarios that can lead to reverse seroconversion of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg-RS). This study focused on HBsAg-RS, which serves as an indicator of active hepatitis, and aimed to obtain exploratory information on the associated patient and treatment factors.

This single-center retrospective study utilized clinical data extracted from the electronic medical records of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Korea. Patients who underwent HSCT between January 2013 and December 2018 and tested negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) before undergoing HSCT were included. The associations between HBsAg-RS and demographic information, baseline hepatitis B serological markers, and vaccination status were statistically analyzed.

This study included 1,344 patients, of whom 83.3% tested positive for the hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) during HSCT. HBsAg-RS occurred in 2.2% of HBsAb-negative patients and 3.0% of HBsAb-positive patients, indicating no significant difference in reactivation rates according to HBsAb status. However, positivity for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) was significantly associated with hepatitis B reactivation (HBsAg-RS rate: 8.0%). The vaccination rates were highest in patients who were negative for both HBsAb and HBcAb and had a transient protective effect.

The sufficient patient population enabled the identification of an association between baseline HBcAb positivity and the development of HBsAg-RS. Further prospective studies are warranted to determine optimal vaccination strategies for preventing HBsAg-RS.