Zoster Vaccine Demonstrates Efficacy Among Patients With IBD

Investigators have found that the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) provides significant protection for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are immunocompromised. These patients typically have an increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ) infection.

The researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients diagnosed with IBD within the national Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VAHS) prior to January 3, 2018, when RZV became available. From among 7,008 patients with IBD aged 50 to 60 years and 26,292 patients with IBD aged more than 60 years, the investigators identified veterans who received had received RZV.

Through multivariable Cox regression with time-varying analysis, the team assessed the risk of HZ among patients who had been vaccinated with either a full dose or a single dose of RZV compared to patients who remained unvaccinated. These groups were stratified according to their IBD therapies.

“The crude HZ incidence rate after full dose vaccination of RZV when compared to the unvaccinated group was lower in both the 50-60 age group (0.00 vs. 3.93 per 1000 -person years) and > 60 age group (1.80 vs. 4.57 per 1000-person-years),” the researchers found. “RZV vaccination was associated with a significantly lower risk of HZ among 50-60 years and > 60 years age group, though this was limited by low HZ event rates.

“RZV vaccination was associated with decreased risk of herpes zoster infection among both the 50-60 years and > 60 years age groups,” the investigators wrote. “Greater efforts should be made to vaccinate all IBD patients with RZV.”

--Rebecca Mashaw

Reference:

Khan N, Wang L, Trivedi C, et al. Efficacy of recombinant zoster vaccine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Published online July 15, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2021.07.023