Increased incidence of herpes zoster in adult patients with peptic ulcer disease: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has been linked to immunological dysfunctions and malnutrition—both are predictors of herpes zoster(HZ). We hypothesized that PUD patients might have a greater risk for developing HZ. METHODS Using the longitudinal National Health Insurance Research Database, we conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study to evaluate the incidence of HZ in adult PUD patients and controls matched by age and gender. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were conducted to compare differences in the development of HZ. The effects of comorbidities on the risk of HZ and the associations between different risk factors of PUD and HZ were assessed by subgroup analyses. RESULTS We identified 41 229 adults PUD patients and 41 229 controls. Over an 8-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence of HZ in PUD patients(11.76/1000 person-years) was significantly higher than controls(6.56/1000 person-years) (P