Diabetes patients have high risk of developing Herpes Zoster, finds Study

Written By : Dr. Shravani Dali |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2021-09-25T10:45:32+05:30 | Updated On 25 Sept 2021 6:27 PM IST

Individuals with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of Herpes Zoster (HZ), suggests a systematic Review and Meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) are susceptible to various infections.

A group of researchers from Taiwan estimated the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) among individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to individuals in the general population.

The researchers searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PerioPath databases from their inception to January 30, 2021 for studies on the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Two authors independently extracted the data. Four case-control studies and 12 cohort studies were included.

The results of the study are as follows:

· Meta-analyses were performed using fixed and mixed-effects models. In the pooled analysis, individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) had a higher risk of developing herpes zoster (HZ) than individuals in the general population.

· The results were consistent in subgroup analyses stratified by type of diabetes, age, and study design.

· In individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease had an additive effect on increasing the risk of herpes zoster (HZ).

· There was a linear dose-response association between age and the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Thus, the researchers concluded that individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) have an increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ) compared to the general population. Varicella vaccination should be provided to individuals with DM regardless of their age, prioritizing older adults and those with cardiovascular disease. Varicella vaccination policies for individuals with DM should be updated based on the evidence.

Reference:

Association between Diabetes Mellitus and the Risk of Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis by Huang C et. al published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab675

diabetes mellitusherpes zosterjournal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism

Source : Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Dr. Shravani Dali

Dr. Shravani Dali has completed her BDS from Pravara institute of medical sciences, loni. Following which she extensively worked in the healthcare sector for 2+ years. She has been actively involved in writing blogs in field of health and wellness. Currently she is pursuing her Masters of public health-health administration from Tata institute of social sciences. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751