Association of asthma and herpes zoster in children

Abstract

The incidence of asthma and herpes zoster (HZ) rose concurrently at the end of the 20th century. Investigators took advantage of the setting of Olmstead County, Minnesota, where medical care is “virtually self-contained,” to perform a population-based epidemiologic study to explore whether HZ was associated with asthma. The study was performed before substantial use of varicella vaccine, and no case had received systemic corticosteroid in the three months prior to HZ. Twenty-three percent of cases of HZ had asthma compared with 12.6% of matched controls (aOR: 2.09, 95% CI 1.24-3.52; P = .006). The authors provide arguments about why detection bias is likely not responsible for their finding. They conclude that asthma may be an unrecognized risk factor for reactivation of non—airway-related latent VZV infection and speculate that altered cell-mediated innate immune response could be the biologic link.Article page 816▶ The incidence of asthma and herpes zoster (HZ) rose concurrently at the end of the 20th century. Investigators took advantage of the setting of Olmstead County, Minnesota, where medical care is “virtually self-contained,” to perform a population-based epidemiologic study to explore whether HZ was associated with asthma. The study was performed before substantial use of varicella vaccine, and no case had received systemic corticosteroid in the three months prior to HZ. Twenty-three percent of cases of HZ had asthma compared with 12.6% of matched controls (aOR: 2.09, 95% CI 1.24-3.52; P = .006). The authors provide arguments about why detection bias is likely not responsible for their finding. They conclude that asthma may be an unrecognized risk factor for reactivation of non—airway-related latent VZV infection and speculate that altered cell-mediated innate immune response could be the biologic link. Article page 816▶ Increased Risk of Herpes Zoster in Children with Asthma: A Population-Based Case-Control StudyThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 163Issue 3PreviewTo determine the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) in children with and without asthma. Full-Text PDF