Hepatitis B vaccination associated with low response in patients with rheumatic diseases treated with biologics.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is recommended for non-immunised patients with rheumatic diseases starting biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). There is some evidence that HBV vaccination is effective in patients under conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), but it is currently unclear whether this also applies to bDMARDs.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of HBV vaccination in patients with inflammatory arthritides treated with bDMARDs.