Postherpetic neuralgia in the elderly.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ) or 'shingles' and affects a significant proportion of HZ patients with the disease, with the elderly being most frequently and seriously affected. Characterised by various types of pain (constant, intermittent and stimulus evoked) that persist between 3 months and many years after the resolution of the HZ rash, PHN can have a severe impact on the patient's quality of life and functional ability. PHN remains highly resistant to current treatments. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical features and management of PHN in the elderly and the potential of vaccination against varicella zoster virus as a means to prevent HZ, and thus decrease the incidence and severity of PHN.
Johnson
R W
RW
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. r.w.johnson@bris.ac.uk
McElhaney
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine; D006801:Humans; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014611:Vaccination
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine
Reg Anesth Pain Med. 1999 Jul-Aug;24(4):287-93
10445766
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD005582
18254083
Epidemiol Infect. 2009 Jan;137(1):38-47
18466661
J Infect Dis. 2008 Mar 1;197 Suppl 2:S228-36
18419402
Lancet. 1954 Dec 25;267(6852):1299-302
13222825
Pain. 2007 Mar;128(1-2):3-5
17161531
J Med Virol. 2003;70 Suppl 1:S9-14
12627480
Fam Pract. 2005 Oct;22(5):523-8
16006497
J Pain. 2005 Jun;6(6):356-63
15943957
Pain. 2007 Dec 5;132(3):237-251
17920770
Lancet. 2006 Jan 21;367(9506):219-24
16427490
Vaccine. 2006 Feb 27;24(9):1308-14
16352376
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2004 Oct;28(4):396-411
15471658
Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2004 Sep-Oct;29(5):454-61
15372391
N Engl J Med. 1984 Nov 22;311(21):1362-4
6092956
Drugs Aging. 2007;24(1):1-19
17233544
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1995 Nov 21;92(24):10980-4
7479921
N Engl J Med. 2000 Nov 23;343(21):1514-9
11087880
J Pain. 2008 Jan;9(1 Suppl 1):S19-30
18166462
Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Apr 1;36(7):877-82
12652389
Bull World Health Organ. 2002;80(3):243-4
11984611
Drug Saf. 2004;27(15):1217-33
15588117
Hum Vaccin. 2008 May-Jun;4(3):238-45
18382137
Pain. 2004 May;109(1-2):26-35
15082123
Ann Intern Med. 1996 Sep 1;125(5):376-83
8702088
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2002 Jun;23(6):510-6
12067775
Neurology. 2003 Apr 22;60(8):1274-83
12707429
Clin J Pain. 2002 Nov-Dec;18(6):350-4
12441828
Popul Trends. 2005 Spring;(119):7-15
15832598
J Pain. 2008 Jan;9(1 Suppl 1):S3-9
18166460
Neurology. 1995 Dec;45(12 Suppl 8):S52-3
8545021
Hautarzt. 1996 Aug;47(8):604-9
8964702
J Med Virol. 2008 Sep;80(9):1646-52
18649332
N Engl J Med. 1980 Jul 17;303(3):130-5
7383070
N Engl J Med. 2002 Aug 1;347(5):340-6
12151472
Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2004 Mar;5(3):551-9
15013924
Clin Infect Dis. 1996 Feb;22(2):341-7
8838194
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Apr 18;(2):CD004846
17443559
Epidemiol Infect. 2001 Oct;127(2):305-14
11693508
Arch Intern Med. 1997 Jun 9;157(11):1217-24
9183233
Neurology. 2004 May 11;62(9):1545-51
15136679
Vaccine. 2006 May 1;24(18):3946-52
16564115
N Engl J Med. 2005 Jun 2;352(22):2266-7
15930416
Drugs Aging. 2008;25(12):991-1006
19021299
N Engl J Med. 2005 Jun 2;352(22):2271-84
15930418
PLoS Med. 2005 Jul;2(7):e164
16013891
Proc R Soc Med. 1965 Jan;58:9-20
14267505
J Exp Med. 1958 Dec 1;108(6):843-68
13598816
Reg Anesth Pain Med. 1999 Jul-Aug;24(4):283-5
10445765
J Med Virol. 2003;70 Suppl 1:S24-30
12627483
J Pain. 2004 Aug;5(6):344-56
15336639
Eur J Pain. 2006 Nov;10(8):695-700
16427792
Clin Infect Dis. 2001 May 15;32(10):1481-6
11317250
Vaccine. 2007 Nov 28;25(49):8326-37
17980938
Eur J Pain. 1999 Dec;3(4):335-342
10700361
Stat Med. 2001 Aug 30;20(16):2429-39
11512133
J Infect. 1999 Mar;38(2):116-20
10342652
Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Jul 1;33(1):62-9
11389496