title: [Efficacy of intracutaneous methylene blue injection for moderate to severe acute thoracic herpes zoster pain and prevention of postherpetic neuralgia in elderly patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy of intradermal injection of methylene blue for treatment of moderate to severe acute thoracic herpes zoster and prevention of postherpetica neuralgia in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four elderly patients with herpes zoster were randomized to receive a 10-day course of intradermal injection of methylene blue and lidocaine plus oral valaciclovir (group A, 32 cases) and intradermal injection of lidocaine plus oral valaciclovir (group B).Herpes evaluation index, pain rating index, incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, and comprehensive therapeutic effect were compared between the two groups at 11, 30 and 60 days after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with that in group B, the time for no new blister formation, blister incrustation and decrustation, and pain relief was significantly shortened in group A (P<0.05) with also obviously lower pain intensity after the treatment. The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia was significantly lower in group A than in group B at 30 days (P<0.05), but not at 60 and 90 days after the treatment. The total clinical response rate was 93.8% in group A, much higher than that in group B (62.5%, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intradermal injection of methylene blue can effectively shorten the disease course, reduce the pain intensity and prevent the development of postherpetic neuralgia in elderly patients with herpes zoster.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China. E-mail: cuijizheng@126.com.
authors: Ji-Zheng
authors: JZ
authors: Cui
authors: Jin-Wei
authors: JW
authors: Zhang
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Zheng-Liang
authors: ZL
authors: Ma
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D008751:Methylene Blue; D000212:Acyclovir