Shingles Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Shingles, including details on symptoms, treatment, causes, virus.

The high incidence of varicella herpes zoster with the use of bortezomib in 10 patients.

Tong Y, Qian J, Li Y, Meng H, Jin J

Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, has been used for patients with refractory and relapsed multiple myeloma, lymphoma and leukemia. We used bortezomib in ten refractory or relapsed patients (seven of multiple myeloma, two of lymphoma and one of acute myeloblastic leukemia). Six out of ten (60%) patients developed varicella herpes zoster after the complete of one cycle of bortezomib. The incidence of varicella herpes zoster was higher than reported in the literature. It may be due to immunosuppression caused by the combination of high-dose dexamethasone or other drugs. We considered that prophylactic antiviral medication could be used in predisposed patients to reduce the incidence of varicella herpes zoster. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Published 10 April 2007 in Am J Hematol, 82(5): 403-4.
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