To evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) against herpes zoster (HZ) in adults aged 50 and older with selected autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Key Findings:
Two doses of RZV provide protection against HZ in patients with AIDs, with VEs ranging from 48.1% (95% CI: X) for multiple sclerosis to 77.2% (95% CI: Y) for psoriasis.
Overall reduction in HZ incidence from 12.9 (95% CI: 12.3; 13.5) to 4.3 (95% CI: 3.8; 4.9) per 1000 person-years among vaccinated individuals.
Overall VE against HZ was 66.3% (95% CI: 61.4; 70.7).
Interpretation:
RZV vaccination effectively prevents HZ in adults aged 50 and older with selected AIDs, supporting prior studies on vaccine efficacy.
Limitations:
The study may not encompass all autoimmune diseases or account for all confounding factors, including potential biases in health claims data.
Data is retrospective and relies on health claims, which may have inherent biases.
Conclusion:
RZV vaccination is beneficial in preventing HZ among older adults with autoimmune disorders, highlighting the need for vaccination in this vulnerable population.
