Zoster Vaccination for Persons Aged 50 to 59 Years
Authors: Vivek Kumar, Jason Kessler, Elisabeth J. Cohen
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2016)

Letters21 June 2016Zoster Vaccination for Persons Aged 50 to 59 YearsVivek Kumar, BS, Jason Kessler, MD, MPH, and Elisabeth J. Cohen, MDVivek Kumar, BSFrom New York University School of Medicine and New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.Search for more papers by this author, Jason Kessler, MD, MPHFrom New York University School of Medicine and New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.Search for more papers by this author, and Elisabeth J. Cohen, MDFrom New York University School of Medicine and New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L15-0586 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Le and Rothberg's recent analysis (1) supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation for herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine for immunocompetent people aged 60 years or older, despite U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval since 2011 for use in adults aged 50 years or older. We would like to counter these arguments and explain why physicians should recommend this vaccine to eligible persons aged 50 years or older.The authors based their analysis on the assumption that the incidence of HZ would plateau after either 2010 or 2015. However, evidence suggests that HZ incidence continues to ...References1. Le P, Rothberg MB. Cost-effectiveness of herpes zoster vaccine for persons aged 50 years. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:489-97. [PMID: 26344036]. doi:10.7326/M15-0093 LinkGoogle Scholar2. MacIntyre R, Stein A, Harrison C, Britt H, Mahimbo A, Cunningham A. Increasing trends of herpes zoster in Australia. PLoS One. 2015;10:e0125025. [PMID: 25928713] doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125025 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Li X, Zhang JH, Betts RF, Morrison VA, Xu R, Itzler RF, et al. Modeling the durability of ZOSTAVAX® vaccine efficacy in people ≥60 years of age. Vaccine. 2015;33:1499-505. [PMID: 25444784] doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.10.039 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Drolet M, Brisson M, Levin MJ, Schmader KE, Oxman MN, Johnson RW, et al. A prospective study of the herpes zoster severity of illness. Clin J Pain. 2010;26:656-66. [PMID: 20842005] doi:10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181eef686 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Préaud E, Uhart M, Böhm K, Aidelsburger P, Anger D, Bianic F, et al. Cost-effectiveness analysis of a vaccination program for the prevention of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia in adults aged 50 and over in Germany. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2015;11:884-96. [PMID: 25933182] doi:10.1080/21645515.2015.1011561 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Yawn BP, Saddier P, Wollan PC, St Sauver JL, Kurland MJ, Sy LS. A population-based study of the incidence and complication rates of herpes zoster before zoster vaccine introduction. Mayo Clin Proc. 2007;82:1341-9. [PMID: 17976353] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From New York University School of Medicine and New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can also be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/Conflict OfInterestForms.do?msNum=L15-0586. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoCost-Effectiveness of Herpes Zoster Vaccine for Persons Aged 50 Years Phuc Le and Michael B. Rothberg Zoster Vaccination for Persons Aged 50 to 59 Years Phuc Le and Michael B. Rothberg Metrics 21 June 2016Volume 164, Issue 12Page: 850KeywordsAge groupsConflicts of interestDisclosureFood and Drug AdministrationImmunohistochemistryProspective studiesQuality adjusted life yearsVaccines ePublished: 21 June 2016 Issue Published: 21 June 2016 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2016 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...