The incidence of herpes zoster in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), dermatomyositis (DM), pemphigus vulgaris (PV), and bullous pemphigoid (BP).
BACKGROUND
Herpes zoster is a common condition that causes significant morbidity.


OBJECTIVE
This study determined the incidence of zoster in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), dermatomyositis (DM), pemphigus vulgaris (PV), and bullous pemphigoid (BP).


METHODS
In this retrospective cohort study the electronic medical records of 186 patients with CLE, 103 with DM, 83 with PV, 44 with BP, and 152 healthy control patients were reviewed to confirm positive diagnoses of zoster.


RESULTS
The incidence of zoster per 1000 person-years was 29.4 in CLE, 55.4 in DM, 18.6 in PV, 10.2 in BP, and 3.9 in healthy control subjects. The mean age (SD) in years was 46.1 (14.9) for CLE, 52.2 (14.5) for DM, 51.8 (13.5) for PV, 71.44 (11.8) for BP, and 48.2 (18.2) for healthy control subjects. The incidence of zoster was significantly higher in the CLE (P = .0177) and DM (P = .0070) groups than the healthy control subjects, all of whom were of a similar mean age.


CONCLUSIONS
The limitations of this study are the sample size, referral bias, and retrospective nature.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of zoster in patients with CLE and, particularly, DM was significantly higher than that of the healthy control subjects.
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York.
Elizabeth S
ES
Robinson
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Aimee S
AS
Payne
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Lisa
L
Pappas-Taffer
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Rui
R
Feng
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: werth@mail.med.upenn.edu.
Victoria P
VP
Werth
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
autoimmune disease; bullous pemphigoid; cutaneous lupus erythematosus; dermatomyositis; herpes zoster; pemphigus vulgaris; shingles