athritis drug risk of shingles
Medical Claims Online - Medical Negligence Claims News
Arthritis drug increases risk of shingles
It has recently been suggested that common arthritis drugs can double the risk of shingles.
The German study revealed that 82 patients out of a trial of 5000m developed shingles. 39 outbreaks coincided with the use of anti-TNF drugs (adalimumab and infliximab).
Other drugs contributed to the remaining outbreaks.
The level of shingles in this study falls below the clinical significance threshold; however, researchers urged doctors to be on the look out for shingles in patients undergoing arthritis treatment.
Whilst it is well known that any drug that affects the immune system will carry with it risk of infection, it is important that these patients are monitored as many will be elderly.
Shingles is a particularly nasty and painful infection but is treatable.
