Related Experiment Videos
Herpes zoster in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis
S Nagaoka1, K Tani, Y Ishigatsubo
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University, School of Medicine.
Abstract:
Twenty-two patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM-DM) were retrospectively studied with regard to development of herpes zoster. Herpes zoster occurred with high frequency in patients with PM-DM. The clinical courses of zoster infections were uneventful; no severe complications nor deaths occurred, and only one patient had post-therapeutic neuralgia. No specific therapy for this infection was necessary. Zoster tended to occur in the inactive stage of PM-DM. PM-DM patients with herpes zoster had a significantly higher incidence of antinuclear antibody. There seemed to be no relationship between steroid therapy and herpes zoster infection.
Insights
Herpes zoster (shingles) frequently affects patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM-DM). This infection typically occurs during inactive disease stages and is generally mild, with no strong link to steroid therapy.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Dermatology
Background:
- Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM-DM) are idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
- Herpes zoster (shingles) is a viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency and characteristics of herpes zoster in patients with PM-DM.
- To identify potential risk factors and clinical associations of herpes zoster in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study design.
- Analysis of medical records of 22 patients diagnosed with PM-DM.
- Evaluation of herpes zoster incidence, clinical course, and associated factors.
Main Results:
- Herpes zoster occurred with high frequency in the studied PM-DM patient cohort.
- Zoster infections were generally uneventful, with no severe complications or fatalities.
- Herpes zoster tended to manifest during inactive phases of PM-DM.
- Patients with PM-DM and herpes zoster showed a significantly higher incidence of antinuclear antibodies.
- No clear relationship was observed between steroid therapy and herpes zoster development.
Conclusions:
- Herpes zoster is a common occurrence in patients with PM-DM.
- The infection typically presents with a benign clinical course in this population.
- Further research may explore the immunological links, such as antinuclear antibody presence, in PM-DM patients experiencing herpes zoster.