Quantification of risk factors for herpes zoster: population based case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To quantify the effects of possible risk factors for herpes zoster at different ages.

Design

Case-control study.

Setting

UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink primary care data.

Participants

144 959 adults diagnosed with zoster between 2000 and 2011; 549,336 age, sex, and practice matched controls.

Main outcome measures

Conditional logistic regression was used to generate adjusted odds ratios to estimate the strength of association of each potential risk factor with zoster and assess effect modification by age.

Results

The median age of the cases and controls was 62 years. Factors associated with increased risk of zoster included rheumatoid arthritis (3111 (2.1%) v 8029 (1.5%); adjusted odds ratio 1.46, 99% confidence interval 1.38 to

SUBMITTER: Forbes HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4019782 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature