TY - JOUR
T1 - A population-based study of the incidence and complication rates of herpes zoster before zoster vaccine introduction
AU - Yawn, Barbara P.
AU - Saddier, Patricia
AU - Wollan, Peter C.
AU - St. Sauver, Jennifer L.
AU - Kurland, Marge J.
AU - Sy, Lina S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by grants from Merck Research Laboratories, North Wales, PA, and the National Institutes of Health ( AR30582 ).
PY - 2007/11
Y1 - 2007/11
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To establish accurate, up-to-date, baseline epidemiological data for herpes zoster (HZ) before the introduction of the recently licensed HZ vaccine. METHODS: Using data from January 1, 1996, to October 15, 2005, we conducted a population-based study of adult residents (≥22 years) of Olmsted County, MN, to determine (by medical record review) the incidence of HZ and the rate of HZ-related complications. Incidence rates were determined by age and sex and adjusted to the US population. RESULTS: A total of 1669 adult residents with a confirmed diagnosis of HZ were identified between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2001. Most (92%) of these patients were immunocompetent and 60% were women. When adjusted to the US adult population, the incidence of HZ was 3.6 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 3.4-3.7), with a temporal increase from 3.2 to 4.1 per 1000 person-years from 1996 to 2001. The incidence of HZ and the rate of HZ-associated complications increased with age, with 68% of cases occurring in those aged 50 years and older. Postherpetic neuralgia occurred in 18% of adult patients with HZ and in 33% of those aged 79 years and older. Overall, 10% of all patients with HZ experienced 1 or more nonpain complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our population-based data suggest that HZ primarily affects immunocompetent adults older than 50 years; 1 in 4 experiences some type of HZ-related complication.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To establish accurate, up-to-date, baseline epidemiological data for herpes zoster (HZ) before the introduction of the recently licensed HZ vaccine. METHODS: Using data from January 1, 1996, to October 15, 2005, we conducted a population-based study of adult residents (≥22 years) of Olmsted County, MN, to determine (by medical record review) the incidence of HZ and the rate of HZ-related complications. Incidence rates were determined by age and sex and adjusted to the US population. RESULTS: A total of 1669 adult residents with a confirmed diagnosis of HZ were identified between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2001. Most (92%) of these patients were immunocompetent and 60% were women. When adjusted to the US adult population, the incidence of HZ was 3.6 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 3.4-3.7), with a temporal increase from 3.2 to 4.1 per 1000 person-years from 1996 to 2001. The incidence of HZ and the rate of HZ-associated complications increased with age, with 68% of cases occurring in those aged 50 years and older. Postherpetic neuralgia occurred in 18% of adult patients with HZ and in 33% of those aged 79 years and older. Overall, 10% of all patients with HZ experienced 1 or more nonpain complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our population-based data suggest that HZ primarily affects immunocompetent adults older than 50 years; 1 in 4 experiences some type of HZ-related complication.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35848954757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=35848954757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4065/82.11.1341
DO - 10.4065/82.11.1341
M3 - Article
C2 - 17976353
AN - SCOPUS:35848954757
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 82
SP - 1341
EP - 1349
JO - Mayo Clinic proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic proceedings
IS - 11
ER -