title: Epidemiological features and costs of herpes zoster in Taiwan: a national study 2000 to 2006.
abstract: To analyse the epidemiological characteristics and related costs of herpes zoster in Taiwan, a nationally representative cohort of 1,000,000 individuals from the National Health Insurance register was followed up from 2000 to 2006 and their claims data analysed. Overall, 34,280 patients were diagnosed with zoster (incidence 4.89/1000 person-years) and 2944 patients (8.6%) developed post-herpetic neuralgia 3 months after the start of the zoster rash (incidence 0.42/1000 person-years). People with older age, diabetes, and immunocompromising conditions were at higher risk of developing zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia. The overall hospitalization rate for zoster was 16.1 cases per 100,000 person-years. The cost for each home care case and per hospitalized case were approximately 53.30 euro and 1224.70 euro, respectively. Further research into the cost-effectiveness of zoster vaccine is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, National Yang Ming University, Department of Dermatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jaw-Shyang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jih
authors.forename: Yi-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzeng-Ji
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chih-Chiang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ding-Dar
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yun-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Han-Nan
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000082:Acetaminophen