#2434 Literature review on the burden of herpes zoster in patients with kidney disease—a need for earlier prevention
Authors: Kumar Deepali , Jorga Anamaria , Yun Huifeng , Williams Charles 
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

Kidney disease (KD), including end stage renal disease (ESRD), is a global health problem. Both are associated with impaired immune systems, which can lead to infections. Complications such as cardiovascular disease and various infections are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in KD patients. Notably, patients with KD have an increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). While the link between ESRD and renal transplant with increased HZ risk is understood, knowledge gaps regarding the burden of HZ across the KD spectrum still exist. This review aims to describe the risk and impact of HZ across the KD spectrum in order to guide preventive care strategies for patients with renal diseases.

Method

A structured literature review was conducted in PubMed using a combination of keywords and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms to identify studies related to HZ risk in adult KD patients aged ≥18 years published in the English language between 01/11/2003–31/10/2023. Data extracted from published studies included the burden of HZ infection in patients with KD (risk of HZ and related complications), impact of HZ on underlying KD, and the efficacy/effectiveness of HZ vaccines among patients with KD.

Results

A total of 47 studies were identified (Randomized controlled trials [RCT] = 2; observational studies = 45) in this review (Fig. 1). Included studies presented evidence from regions in Europe (n = 18), Asia (n = 17), North America (n = 7), South America (n = 1), multinational (n = 2) and Australia (n = 1); country not reported in one study.

Evidence from observational studies (n = 37) reported a high risk of HZ infection and related complications, such as disseminated HZ, and recurrent HZ across the KD spectrum, including chronic KD, polycystic KD, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplant patients. Infection with HZ was reported to accelerate KD progression and increased the risk of ESRD and cardiovascular events. In general, for ESRD patients with an inpatient HZ diagnosis, mortality increased with age, followed by malnutrition and bacteremia/septicemia.

Studies reporting vaccine efficacy (n = 2) and effectiveness results (n = 8) suggest that HZ vaccination was associated with a reduced risk of HZ when compared to unvaccinated individuals. Furthermore, the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was found to be immunogenic in kidney transplant recipients, with immunogenicity persisting through 12 months post-vaccination. An RCT post-hoc analysis showed high vaccine efficacy in patients aged ≥50 years with medical conditions at enrollment, including KD, which was consistent with the overall population. A favorable benefit-risk profile was reported in randomized and observational studies. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of the zoster live-attenuated vaccine (ZVL) found a lower risk of HZ in patients with ESRD immunized against HZ compared to unvaccinated individuals. In many countries, vaccination guidelines specifically recommended immunization of people with KD to protect against HZ. However, ZVL is contraindicated for immunocompromised (e.g. kidney transplant) patients.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that HZ has a significant HZ burden across the KD spectrum, which may negatively impact renal disease progression. With effective vaccines offering durable protection against HZ and its complications, the immunization of renal patients at earlier stages could enhance healthcare management and patient outcomes.