TB Research

S1208 Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Latent Tuberculosis Co-Infection and Risk of Drug-Induced Liver Injury Across Two Large HBV Cohorts in the United States

Robert J. Wong, Loralee B. Rupp, Mei Lü, Zeyuan Yang, Yihe G. Daida, Mark A. Schmidt, Joseph A. Boscarino, Stuart Gordon, et al. (9 authors)

The American Journal of Gastroenterology · 2022-10

Abstract

Introduction: Screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection prior to starting tuberculosis (TB) treatment is important because HBV-TB co-infected patients have increased risk of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). However, there are limited real-world data on epidemiology of HBV-latent TB infection (LTBI) in the US. We evaluated prevalence and predictors of HBV-LTBI co-infection and DILI risk among two distinct US chronic HBV cohorts. Methods: Adults with chronic HBV from 2010–2020 were identified among the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study (CHeCS) and the Veterans Affairs national chronic HBV cohort (VA-HBV). HBV-LTBI co-infection was identified based on laboratory data (TB-Quantiferon), ICD-9/10 codes, and prescription data. DILI was identified based on established definitions that incorporated ICD-9/10 codes and changes in alanine aminotransferase levels following start of LTBI treatment. Results: Among 6,019 chronic HBV patients in the CHeCS cohort (44% female; 47% age 18-39y, 39% age 40-59y, 14% age >60y; 47% Asian, 20% non-Hispanic white (NHW), 14% African American (AA), 1% Hispanic; 3% HCV; 6% HIV), 9.1% were tested for TB, among which 7.7% had HBV-LTBI. Significantly higher odds of HBV-LTBI were observed in women vs. men (13% vs. 5%, OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.36-4.85 p< 0.01), but no other significant differences were observed. Among HBV-LTBI patients that received LTBI treatment, 28.6% developed DILI. Among 12,928 predominantly U.S.-born chronic HBV patients in the VA-HBV cohort (94% male; 6% age 18-39y, 30% age 40-59y, 65% age >60y; 10% Asian, 42% AA, 39% NHW, 2% Hispanic; 86% US-born; 15% HCV; 2.3% HIV), 14.7% were tested for TB, among which 14.5% had HBV-LTBI. Significantly higher odds of HBV-LTBI were observed in AA vs. NHW (15% vs. 12%, OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.18-2.43, p< 0.01) and in non-US born vs. US-born (25% vs. 13%, OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.34-4.00, p< 0.05). Among HBV-LTBI patients that received LTBI treatment, the proportion of patients that developed DILI was 3.6%. Conclusion: Among two large distinct US cohorts of chronic HBV patients, testing for LTBI was infrequent despite relatively high prevalence of HBV-LTBI. While nearly 30% of HBV-LTBI patients in the predominantly Asian and younger CHeCS cohort developed DILI, only 3.6% in the predominantly older, US born VA-HBV cohort developed DILI. Better understanding risk factors for DILI among HBV-LTBI patients can help guide clinicians to appropriately modify LTBI treatment to reduce DILI risk. Supported by ACG Clinical Research Award (Figure).Figure 1.: Prevalence of HBV-LTBI Co-Infection and Risk of DILI.

MeSH terms

  • Medicine
  • Cohort
  • Hepatitis B virus
  • Internal medicine
  • Coinfection
  • Tuberculosis
  • Hepatitis B
  • Epidemiology
  • Latent tuberculosis
  • Odds ratio
  • Immunology