A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 1 study with a total of 38 546 subjects. Participants were all aged 60 years or more and most of them were white. The vaccine was effective in decreasing the incidence of herpes zoster, but it was not statistically significantly effective in reducing the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia beyond its effect on the incidence of herpes zoster. Adverse events at the injection site were more common among vaccine recipients than placebo recipients, but they were mild and resolved in a few days. Serious adverse events were rare.
| Outcomes | Number of participants (studies) | Assumed risk (control) | Corresponding risk (vaccination) | Relative effect RR (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persistence of PHN among all subjects a numerical rating scale for pain. Follow-up: mean 3.13 years | 38501 (1 study) | 3 per 1000 | 1 per 1000 (1 to 2) | RR 0.31 (0.18 to 0.54) |
| Persistence of PHN among subjects developing herpes zoster a numerical rating scale for pain. Follow-up: mean 3.13 years | 957 (1 study) | 84 per 1000 | 54 per 1000 (32 to 92) | RR 0.64 (0.38 to 1.09) |
| Deaths among all subjects during the whole study clinical follow-up Follow-up: mean 3.13 years | 38546 (1 study) | 41 per 1000 | 41 per 1000 (37 to 45) | RR 1.00 (0.91 to 1.1) |
Date of latest search: 2011-03-16
Primary/Secondary Keywords