CID: Changes in the incidence of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in the United States from 1994 to 2018

Purpose: In recent decades, the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) has been on the rise
.
Although there have been two HZ vaccines, since HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) occurred, there have been few studies on the incidence

Method: Using the non-identifying longitudinal administrative claims database of OptumLabs® data warehouse, the incidence rate of individuals who have been continuously registered in the database for ≥365 days and have no previous history of HZ or PHN was evaluated
.
Non-standardized and standardized incidence rates were calculated by year, 10-year-old age group, gender, and race/ethnicity

Results: 61066 HZ patients (median age, 56.
3 years [IQR: 43.
0, 68.
7] years; 59.
8% women; whites 70.
6%)
.
From 1994 to 2018, the incidence of HZ increased from 286.

Figure 1 The incidence of shingles by age from 1994 to 2018

Figure 2 The annual change in the incidence of shingles by sex from 1994 to 2006 and the annual change from 2007 to 2018

Figure 3 Annual changes in the incidence of herpes zoster in various ethnic groups from 1994 to 2006 and from 2007 to 2018

Figure 4 The proportion of postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster by age from 1994 to 2006 and the proportion from 2007 to 2018

Conclusion: In the current injection HZ vaccine is not recommended age groups, herpes zoster incidence rate continues to rise, it is necessary for the current vaccine is recommended for re- review
.

Original source

Thompson RR, Kong CL, Porco TC,et al, Herpes Zoster and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia: Changing Incidence Rates from 1994 to 2018 in the United States .