Predictive Factors of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia in Patients with Acute Herpes Zoster

BACKGROUND: Post-Herpetic Neuralgia(PHN) is the most common and serious complication of herpes zoster(H-Z). Especially in the elderly, intractable chronic pain is caused by PHN and it affects the quality of life severely. The study examined the predictive factors of PHN for its prevention and treatment. METHODS: 691 cases of patients with herpes zoster who visited department of dermatology were studied of Kwang Ju Christian Hospital during the five years from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1995 Retrospective chart review was used to compare occurrence of PHN according to age, sex, residential area of patients, inpatients or outpatients status, nerve dermatome, interval of treatment, methods of treatment associated conditions and duration of PHN. The authors compared the incidence of patients with PHN and patients with H-Z according to above variables. For statistical analysis, we used Chi-square and t-test through SPSS/PC+ (P<0.05). RESULTS: The incidence of PHN was 22.9% (159/691) and increased with age. The incidence of patients under 60 years of age was 16.5%, more than 60 was 30.7% (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance concerning sex, residential area of patients, dermatome, method of treatment, associated conditions in the incidence of PHN compared to patients with H-Z. The significant difference In the incidence of PHN was shown between inpatients and outpatients status(20.5%, 27.3% respectively) (P<0.05). Anatomical site of PHN of the highest incidence was the opthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve(27.1%), followed by cervical(26.0%), thoracic(24.4%) and sacral(22.2%) in order of sequence. Associated conditions or diseases of PHN were observed in 80 patients(24.7%) including hypertension(39.5%), tuberculosis(39.3%), malignancy (34.5%), COPD(33.3%), Chronic hepatitis(22.7%), DM(15.4%). The interval between the onset of H-Z and the initiation of treatment showed that significant difference in the incidence of PHN was on the fourth day with less than and more than 4 days showing 18.5% : 25.1% respectively(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The important factors affecting the incidence of PHN were interval between the onset of H-Z and the initiation of treatment age and inpatients or outpatients status. The methods of treatment(acyclovir or steroid), sex, residential area of patients, associated conditions and nerve distribution were not significant factors.

Autonomic dysfunction in the elderly: postural hypotension and related symptoms

BACKGROUND: Aging brings organic change and functional decline in men. An example of those functional declines is the functional change of autonomic nervous system, which is usually experienced as having postural hypotension as a typical symptom, and many other related symptoms as well. Thus, in order to study the autonamic dysfunctian caused by aging, we surveyed the occurring frequency of postural hypotension and its related symptoms, and investigated the relationship between such symptoms and the influence of external factors, in order care and treat the aged patients. METHODS: 396 people over the age of 65 years who visited the geriatric clinic located in Kwangju Park, during the period from April 1996 to August 1996, were investigated their characteristics, the related symptoms and external factors through interview, and examination to determine the presence of postural hypotension, checking the blood pressure and pulse rate in a recombent position after resting, one minute later when seated and then one minute later when standing. After in put of the data with SPSS/PC+, the statistical analysis was carried out using the Chi square and t-test. RESULTS: The 369 subjects consisted of 267 males and 129 females. The 93(23.5%) subjects showed postural hypotension, which appeared to have significant relationship with growing age but no significant relationship with the external factors such as sex, drinking, smoking, disease, medications, etc. However, under the pathological factors like disease and medication, the occurrence of postural hypotension were found to be somewhat high. The most frequent symptoms in order of seguence were postural symptoms (60.6%), impotence(58.8%), incantinence(21.0%), constipation(17.7%), diplopia(17.2%), decreased sweating(12.9%) and swallowing difficulty(7.3%), and all of these symptoms showed the significant relation with growing age. Postural symptoms were significantly related to postural hypotension, but other symptoms were not. And, postural symptoms had significant relationship with cerebrovascular disease. Also, postural symptoms showed the significant relationship with impotence, incontinence, constipation, diplopia and swallowing difficulty, but other symptoms were found to have no such relationship with each other and with the external factors. CONCLUSIONS: The aged people generally report symptoms caused by autonomic dysfunction. Especially postural symptoms are the most commonly experienced symptoms and, for the most part, accompanied by other symptoms, thus, the evaluation of autonomic dysfunction, especially on postural hypotension is important. And, since risk factors such as disease and medication influences the occurrence of postural hypotension, it should be appropriately considered when diagnosing and treating aged people. We think that continuous research on other risk factors and study to establish the proper guidelines to assess the autonomic dysfunction should be conducted in the future.

A Study on Hypertension during Exercise and its Related Factors in Men

In recent study, exercise hypertension is associated with a lower adjusted mortality rate and is likely to a good prognostic sign, although its clinical significance is uncertain. The purpose of this investigation was to study exercise hypertensive reaction and to search its related factors. From June. 1st to Aug. 31st 1996, 108 males, mean age 41.5years(range, 20~70) attended the exercise stress test as volunteers during checking-up of health & disease at Health Service Center of Kwang-ju Christian hospital. The exercise stress test using stationary leg bicycle was done until the examiner were exhausted, at which we measured peak exercise systolic blood pressure & Pulse rate. The results are shown as follows. Exercise hypertension was present in 22 subjects(20.0% ). Including age, body mass index, RPE scales at 70% maximal heart rate, rate of level of elevation of heart rate during exercise, no significant related factors associated with exercise hypertension was present by the discriminant analysis. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that exercise-induced increase in systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with only resting systolic pressure(r=0.101, p less than 0.01). RPE(Rating of Perceived Exertion) scales was 18.05+/-1.31 when pulse rate of the examiner was reached to 70% of rnaximal heart rate(220-age (years) ). In conclusion, no significant related factor associated with exercise hypertension was presents, but exercise-induced increase of systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with only resting systolic pressure.