Researchers Assess Shingles Vaccination Trends Among Older Adults With COPD

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Key Takeaways

COPD patients have a higher shingles risk due to immune suppression, worsened by inhaled corticosteroids.
Shingles affects 1 million annually in the US, with risk increasing with age, especially in those over 85.
Study shows 20.9% of older adults with COPD received shingles vaccination, slightly higher than those without COPD.
Disparities in shingles vaccination exist among older adults with COPD, requiring targeted interventions to improve coverage.

During a 15-year period, 1 in 5 older adults living with COPD received a shingles vaccine.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for shingles, which can be prevented through vaccination. According to research findings published in the American Journal of Infection Control, investigators evaluated trends in shingles vaccination among older US adults with COPD, demonstrating an increase in vaccination.¹

Close-up of doctor or nurse's hand in blue gloves holding small bottle of herpes zoster, varicella zoster vaccine on blurry medical office with laboratory sample vials and blood test tubes background - Image credit: cabado | stock.adobe.com

Image credit: cabado | stock.adobe.com

Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, develops following the reactivation of the varicella zoster infection (VZV), which is the same infection that causes chicken pox. Shingles typically presents as a painful rash that is estimated to impact 1 million individuals each year in the US, according to the CDC. In most cases, individuals only develop shingles once in their lifetime; however, the illness can reoccur.² The risk of shingles increases with older age, impacting around 50% of individuals that live up to 85 years.¹

According to the World Health Organization, COPD is a common lung disease that restricts airflow and results in breathing problems. The most common cause of the disease is smoking and poor air pollution, which cause symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and tiredness. COPD symptoms are progressive and incurable.³

Individuals with COPD face an increased risk of developing shingles due to their weakened or compromised immune system. Additionally, treatment with inhaled corticosteroids that are commonly used to treat COPD can further suppress the immune system, making the risk of shingles even greater. Previous research demonstrated that individuals aged 18 to 49 years with COPD could benefit from shingles vaccination, although data on adults aged 50 years and older are inadequate.⁴

Researchers used data from the 2008 to 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative, cross-sectional household survey conducted annually by the National Center for Health Statistics, to assess the trends and rate of shingles vaccination among individuals aged 50 years and older with COPD. The researchers used a multivariable logistic regression model and a joinpoint regression analysis to categorize factors connected with vaccination.¹

The study included a total of 22,853 individuals with COPD, which represents around 9.8 million US adults living with COPD, according to the study authors. The results found that the overall prevalence of shingles vaccination among US older adults was 19.9%. However, vaccine prevalence was 20.9% among older adults with COPD and 19.8% among individuals without COPD.¹

According to the news release, the results demonstrated vaccine trends that were observed when stratified by age groups. This included disparities connected with age, sex, race or ethnicity, region, educational level, health insurance, income, smoking status, perceived health status, influenza vaccination, and pneumococcal vaccination.¹

The findings suggest that between 2008 to 2022, 1 in 5 older adults living with COPD received a shingles vaccine. Despite the trend in shingles vaccination, monitoring and inventions are needed to limit vaccine disparities among this patient population.¹

REFERENCES

1. National trends and disparities in herpes zoster vaccination among US older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 2008 to 2022. Science Direct. News release. August 15, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196655324006576.

2. About Shingles (Herpes Zoster). CDC. News release. May 10, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/index.html.

3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). World Health Organization. November 6, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd)#:~:text=Overview,medicines%2C%20oxygen%20and%20pulmonary%20rehabilitation.

4. Risk factors for herpes zoster: should people with asthma or COPD be vaccinated? National Library of Medicine. News release. January 28, 2023. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36709298/.