Herpes zoster diagnosis tied to heart attack, stroke risk

USA: The diagnosis of Herpes zoster (HZ) virus is associated with a significantly increased risk of heart attack, ischemia, and stroke according to a new study.

Herpes zoster is a viral disease that appears as a reddish skin rash on one side of the face, torso, and eyes. The study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings has found that Herpes zoster is associated with a significantly increased risk of composite cardiovascular (CV) events, transient ischemic attacks (TIA), and stroke in adults around diagnosis (aggregate period, through week 4 post-HZ index date.

Brandon J. Patterson, U.S. Health Outcomes & Epidemiology, GSK, Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues conducted the study to estimate the risk of TIA, stroke, and myocardial infarction in periods covering 4 weeks before to 52 weeks after HZ diagnosis in US adults.

This retrospective study (GSK study identifier: HO-15-15771) with matched cohorts used the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial and Medicare claims data set linked with obesity and smoking status information. A total of 23,339 patients with HZ were matched to 46,378 controls (mean age, 56 years; 45,173 [65%] women).

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Key findings of the study include:

• During the aggregate period, patients with HZ were statistically significantly more likely to suffer a TIA: IRRs for all patients and patients aged 18 to 49 years were 1.56 and 5.12, respectively; the respective IRRs for stroke were 1.40 and 8.12.


• In the sensitivity analysis, IRRs for TIA and stroke were statistically significantly increased regardless of age.

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"Overall, we found a statistically significant increased risk of TIA and stroke in adult patients with HZ as compared with those without. However, consistency of the findings over time and age varied with respect to the sampling of the population and when controlling for known cardiovascular risk factors," write the authors

"Incorporation of these new findings, considering available evidence, is important when making clinical recommendations in situations in which preventive measures are recommended (adults 50 years and older) and highlights the need for additional research that can guide researchers and policymakers in additional evidence needed to address younger adults (18-49 years old)," they concluded.

For detailed study log on to https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.12.025