Youngsters Vulnerable to Stroke Years After Shingles Diagnosis: Study

Youngsters suffering from shingles, a type of painful skin rashes, have higher risk of stroke, a latest study suggests.

The research, published in the journal 'Neurology,' was based on data from 106,600 people with shingles and 213,200 without the condition. Researchers studied the medical records of the participants for six to 24 years after they were diagnosed with shingles.

"Anyone with shingles, and especially younger people, should be screened for stroke risk factors. Studies are needed to determine whether vaccination can also reduce the incidence of stroke and heart attack," study author Judith Breuer of University College London said in a press release.

The researchers found that those aged between 18 and 40 with shingles had more chances of getting a stroke, heart attack or transient ischemic attack (TIA) - a stroke warning - years later.

"People under 40 years old were 74 percent more likely to have a stroke if they had had shingles, after adjusting for stroke risk factors such as obesity, smoking and high cholesterol," said the press release. Stroke risk wasn't as high in people over 40 years of age.

The researchers explained that chickenpox virus causes shingles. In most people who've recovered from the disease, the virus remains inactive in the nerve roots. But in some, the virus reactivates years later and causes shingles.

"However, what is also clear is that factors that increase the risk of stroke also increase the risk of shingles, so we do not know if vaccinating people can reduce the risk of stroke. Current recommendations are that anyone 60 years and older should be vaccinated. The role for vaccination in younger individuals with vascular risk factors needs to be determined," concluded the study.