New research indicates that people who suffer from asthma may be at higher risk for developing shingles, a painful skin condition that is caused by the same zoster virus as chickenpox. Researchers analyzed medical records of 371 people with shingles and compared them to the records of 742 people who didn’t have the condition. Of the 371 people with shingles, 23% also had asthma. In the larger group of people who didn’t have shingles, only 15% suffered from asthma. Researchers reported that people who had asthma had a 70% higher risk for shingles than those who didn’t.
However, research has not yet proven a cause-and-effect relationship between asthma and shingles. Similarly, shingles occurred at a higher rate in patients with eczema than in those without eczema in the control group. While it is not yet clear why asthma and eczema might be associated with an increased risk of shingles, researchers suggest that asthma might trigger the reactivation of the zoster virus that causes shingles.
If so, consideration could be given to immunizing adults with asthma or eczema at 50 years old instead of waiting until the CDC recommended vaccination age of 60. A shingles vaccine that lowers the risk of shingles by 50% has been available in the United States since 2006. Each year, almost 1 million Americans are affected by shingles, and it is especially prevalent among the elderly. If you have not yet been vaccinated, RVNA provides shingles vaccinations at our office with a doctor’s prescription. For more information, call 203-438-5555, ext. 1119.
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