Do hepatitis C virus genotypes influence liver dysfunction following rituximab-containing regimens in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma?

摘要

Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody designed to target CD20-positive B cells, has been an established part of standard therapy for B cell non-Hodgkin's lym-phoma [1]. Recently, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been reported to be a risk factor for severe liver dysfunction in patients with B,cell non-Hodgkin's lympho-ma receiving rituximab-containing regimens [2-4]. Although the mechanisms of liver-related complications are not yet fully understood, researchers have postulated immune-mediated mechanisms in some studies [5, 6]. Data from previous studies indicate differences in host immune response among HCV genotypes regarding hepatitis flare in HCV patients [7-10]. Currently, few data are available on the relationship between HCV genotypes and liver-related complications. In this study, we aimed to examine whether HCV infection is a risk factor for severe liver dysfunction following rituximab-containing regimens in our cohort of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and whether the risk of severe liver dysfunction depends on HCV genotype. This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki.