All DMARD Patients Need Hepatitis Screening

Screening for HCV simply entails ordering a serum HCV antibody test. To screen for HBV, Dr. Calabrese likes to get a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc).

“HBsAg is what you're really looking for. If you're positive, you're a carrier and you're infected,” he said.

Disclosures: Dr. Calabrese disclosed serving as a paid consultant to Genentech, Roche, Amgen, Centocor, UCB Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis, and Wyeth.

'There are more data on the safety of biologics than nonbiologic DMARDs in the setting of HCV.'

Source Dr. Calabrese