Retrospective evaluation of clinical features in hospitalized herpes zoster patients

Abstract

Aim: Herpes zoster is a dermatomal vesicular eruption caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that remains latent in the dorsal root ganglia. Due to the impairment of cellular immune capacity with aging, it is commonly seen in advanced age. Approximately 3-10% of the cases need to be hospitalized. We aimed to determine the frequency of dissemination and the demographic and clinical characteristics in hospitalized herpes zoster patients in a dermatology clinic of a tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: The records of 19 herpes zoster patients hospitalized in our clinic between June 2019 and November 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' age, gender, dermatome involved, presence of dissemination, concomitant diseases, and development of post-herpetic neuralgia were noted. Results: Disseminated herpes zoster was seen in 36.8% (no:7) of the patients. Of patients 63.2% (no:12) had ophthalmic herpes zoster. The relationship between dissemination and age, gender, presence of immunosuppression and development of post-herpetic neuralgia was not statistically significant. While no death was observed in the non-disseminated group, one patient died in the disseminated herpes zoster group. Conclusion: In this study, the mean age of the patients, the accompanying immunosuppressive state, and the rate of post-herpetic neuralgia were found to be higher in the disseminated herpes zoster group than the non-disseminated group. But it was not significant. Studies on disseminated herpes zoster which have a higher mortality are limited due to the low frequency of the disease. Studies involving larger numbers of patients are needed in order to report the clinical features and mortality rates more clearly in these patients.