SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2017
A meta-analysis of stroke risk following herpes zoster infection.
Synthesis in BMC infectious diseases, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 60 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of herpes zoster infection, antivirals and vaccination on risk of developing dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis on herpes zoster and the risk of cardiac and cerebrovascular events.PloS one · 2017Pooled it
- Keeping An Eye Out for Stroke-Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Leading to Acute Ischemic Stroke.Clinical practice and cases in emergency medicine · 2026Article
- NSAIDs Use During Herpes Zoster Infection and Stroke Risk: A Nationwide Case-Crossover Study.Drug safety · 2026Article
- Informing decisions in light of parameter uncertainty - an economic evaluation of the adjuvanted recombinant herpes zoster vaccine in Sweden.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2026Article
- From Knowledge to Action: Enhancing Herpes Zoster Vaccine Uptake in Diabetic Patients Through Targeted Interventions.Vaccines · 2026Article
- Beyond the Virological Benefits of the Herpes Zoster Vaccine in the Context of Primary Care.Vaccines · 2026Article
- Herpes Zoster in Aging Patients: Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies.International journal of general medicine · 2026Review
- Adjuvanted Recombinant Zoster Vaccine is Effective Against Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus, and is Associated With Lower Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stroke in Adults Aged ≥50 Years.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2025Article
- Review
- Article
- Protective Effects of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine and Antiviral Therapy Against Cardiovascular Disease Following Herpes Zoster Infection.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Article
- Suppression of the host antiviral response by non-infectious varicella zoster virus extracellular vesicles.Journal of virology · 2024Article
- Herpes Zoster and Cardiovascular Disease: Exploring Associations and Preventive Measures through Vaccination.Vaccines · 2024Review
- Varicella-zoster virus vasculopathy in a patient with multiple sclerosis receiving natalizumab.BMJ case reports · 2023Article
- Zoster-Associated Prothrombotic Plasma Exosomes and Increased Stroke Risk.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2023Article
- Herpes zoster and long-term vascular risk: a retrospective cohort study.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Adult preventive vaccines with other synergistic lifestyle options: is it time to add these ancillary benefits to the overall AS management checklist?World journal of urology · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) is increasing and poses a significant health concern to aging populations. Several studies suggest an increased risk of stroke following zoster infection, but the results are conflicting. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine if stroke risk is increased following HZ infection.
methodsA search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google scholar, Web of Science, CAB Direct, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Evidence Based Medicine Reviews was conducted for observational studies of adults with HZ infection that examined stroke and TIA risk from January 1, 1966 to May 31, 2016. Adjusted relative risks reported for similar follow-up durations were pooled across studies separately using random-effects inverse variance models.
resultsData were pooled from nine studies. Relative risk for stroke after zoster was 1.78 (95% CI 1.70-1.88) for the first month following herpes zoster, dropping progressively to 1.43 (95% CI 1.38-1.47) after 3 months, to 1.20 (95% CI 1.14-1.26) after 1 year. We found that stroke risk increases by a larger margin during the first month after a herpes zoster ophthalmicus episode: relative risk 2.05 (95% CI 1.82-2.31). The risk remains elevated one year after the acute episode.
conclusionsHerpes zoster is an established risk factor for increasing the risk of stroke, especially shortly after infection. Vaccination should be encouraged in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.