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B12 vitamini ile zona hastalığının iki semptomu arasındaki ilişki: Kimlerde ağrı, kimlerde kaşıntı görülür?

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 189 - 193, 18.11.2025

Abstract

Amaç: Herpes ağrısı ve zona kaşıntısı, patogenezi henüz açıklığa kavuşturulamamış iki semptomdur, ancak sinir hasarına bağlı olduğu düşünülmektedir. Bu iki semptomun tedavisi zordur ve yaşam kalitesini olumsuz etkiler. Ayrıca, hangi hastanın kaşıntı veya ağrı semptomları göstereceği belirsizdir. Vitamin B12, sinir hasarının tedavisine katkıda bulunan ve nöropatik ağrı ve kaşıntının tedavisinde etkili olan bir nörotropik ajandır. Bu çalışmada, akut dönemde zona hastalarının yaşayabileceği kaşıntı ve ağrı semptomları üzerinde B12 vitamini değerlerinin etkisini araştırmayı amaçladık.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çalışmada, akut dönemde zona hastalarının yaşadığı kaşıntı ve ağrı semptomları üzerinde B12 vitamini değerlerinin etkisini araştırdık. Herpetik ağrı veya herpetik kaşıntı yaşayan 53 zona hastasının B12 vitamini değerleri kaydedildi ve kontrol grubu ile karşılaştırıldı.
Bulgular: Herpetik ağrı olan hastaların kontrol grubuna göre (p=0,046) ve herpetik kaşıntı olan hastalara göre (p=0,021) daha düşük vitamin B12 değerlerine sahip olduğunu bulduk. Herpetik kaşıntı hastalarının vitamin B12 değerleri kontrol grubundan önemli bir fark göstermedi (p=0,816).
Sonuç: Vitamin B12 eksikliği herpetik ağrının etiyolojisinde rol oynasa da, herpetik kaşıntı üzerinde herhangi bir etkisi yoktur. Çalışmamız, HI'nın etiyopatogenezinin herpetik ağrıdan farklı olduğunu desteklemekte ve herpetik kaşıntının etiyopatogenezine odaklanan çalışmalara yardımcı olacaktır.

Ethical Statement

Etik onay: Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Etik Kurulu'ndan etik onay alınmıştır.

References

  • Koshy E, Mengting L, Kumar H, Jianbo W. Epidemiology, treatment and prevention of herpes zoster: A comprehensive review. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2018 ;84:251-62.
  • Ono F, Yasumoto S, Furumura M, et al. Comparison between famciclovir and valacyclovir for acute pain in adult Japanese immunocompetent patients with herpes zoster. J Dermatol. 2012;39:902-8.
  • Putri Mellaratna W, Jusuf NK, Yosi A. The impact of pain intesity on quality of life of postherpetic neuralgia patients. Med Glas . 2020;17:439-44.
  • Oaklander AL, Cohen SP, Raju SV. Intractable postherpetic itch and cutaneous deafferentation after facial shingles. Pain. 2002;96:9-12.
  • Semionov V, Shvartzman P. Post herpetic itching--a treatment dilemma. Clin J Pain. 2008;24:366-8
  • Oaklander AL. Mechanisms of pain and itch caused by herpes zoster (shingles). J Pain. 2008;9:S10-8.
  • Wang JY, Wu YH, Liu SJ, et al. Vitamin B12 for herpetic neuralgia: A metaanalysis of randomised controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2018;41:277-82.
  • Ozdemir M, Tüzün Y. Herpes zoster and pruritus.Int J Dermatol. 2004 ;43:779-80.
  • Misery L, Brenaut E, Le Garrec R, Abasq C, Genestet S, Marcorelles P, Zagnoli F. Neuropathic pruritus. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014;10:408-16.
  • Oaklander AL, Bowsher D, Galer B, et al. Herpes zoster itch: preliminary epidemiologic data. J Pain. 2003;4:338-43.
  • Ishikawa R, Iseki M, Koga R, Inada E. Investigation of the Correlation between Postherpetic Itch and Neuropathic Pain over Time. Pain Res Manag. 2018;2018:9305126.
  • Chen JY, Chu CC, Lin YS, et al. Nutrient deficiencies as a risk factor in Taiwanese patients with postherpetic neuralgia. Br J Nutr. 2011;106:700-7.
  • Xu G, Lv ZW, Xu GX, Tang WZ. Thiamine, cobalamin, locally injected alone or combination for herpetic itching: a singlecenter randomized controlled trial. Clin J Pain. 2014;30:269-78.
  • van Wijck AJM, Aerssens YR. Pain, Itch, Quality of Life, and Costs after Herpes Zoster. Pain Pract. 2017;17:738-46.
  • Hacıbeyoğlu G, Arıcan Ş, Ulukaya SO, et al. Evaluation of the efficacy of erector spinae plane block and intercostal nerve block in the postherpetic neuralgia. Agri. 2020;32:208-18.

The Relationship of Vitamin B 12 with Two Symptoms of Shingles: Who has Pain and Who has Itch?

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 189 - 193, 18.11.2025

Abstract

Aim: Both herpetic pain and itching in shingles are two symptoms whose pathogenesis has not been elucidated, although they are thought to be due to nerve damage. These two symptoms are difficult to treat and negative impact quality of life. In addition, It is unclear which patient will have the symptoms of itching or pain. Vitamin B 12 is a neurotropic agent which is contributes to the treatment of nerve damage, and effective in treating neuropathic pain and itch. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin B12 values on the itching and pain symptoms that patients with shingles may have in the acute period.
Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of vitamin B12 values on itching and pain symptoms that patients with shingles have in the acute period. Vitamin B 12 values of 53 adults with patients with shingles with herpetic pain or herpetic itching were recorded and compared with the control group.
Results: We found that patients with herpetic pain had lower vitamin B12 values than the control group (p=0.046) and patients with herpetic itch (p=0.021). Vitamin B12 values of herpetic itch patients did not show significant difference from the control group (p=0.816).
Conclusions; Although vitamin B12 deficiency plays a role in the etiology of herpetic pain, it has no effect on herpetic itching. Our study supports that the etiopathogenesis of HI is different from herpetic pain, and will help studies focusing on herpetic itching etiopathogenesis.

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval: Ethical approval was obtained from “Necmettin Erbakan University Ethical Committee”

References

  • Koshy E, Mengting L, Kumar H, Jianbo W. Epidemiology, treatment and prevention of herpes zoster: A comprehensive review. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2018 ;84:251-62.
  • Ono F, Yasumoto S, Furumura M, et al. Comparison between famciclovir and valacyclovir for acute pain in adult Japanese immunocompetent patients with herpes zoster. J Dermatol. 2012;39:902-8.
  • Putri Mellaratna W, Jusuf NK, Yosi A. The impact of pain intesity on quality of life of postherpetic neuralgia patients. Med Glas . 2020;17:439-44.
  • Oaklander AL, Cohen SP, Raju SV. Intractable postherpetic itch and cutaneous deafferentation after facial shingles. Pain. 2002;96:9-12.
  • Semionov V, Shvartzman P. Post herpetic itching--a treatment dilemma. Clin J Pain. 2008;24:366-8
  • Oaklander AL. Mechanisms of pain and itch caused by herpes zoster (shingles). J Pain. 2008;9:S10-8.
  • Wang JY, Wu YH, Liu SJ, et al. Vitamin B12 for herpetic neuralgia: A metaanalysis of randomised controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2018;41:277-82.
  • Ozdemir M, Tüzün Y. Herpes zoster and pruritus.Int J Dermatol. 2004 ;43:779-80.
  • Misery L, Brenaut E, Le Garrec R, Abasq C, Genestet S, Marcorelles P, Zagnoli F. Neuropathic pruritus. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014;10:408-16.
  • Oaklander AL, Bowsher D, Galer B, et al. Herpes zoster itch: preliminary epidemiologic data. J Pain. 2003;4:338-43.
  • Ishikawa R, Iseki M, Koga R, Inada E. Investigation of the Correlation between Postherpetic Itch and Neuropathic Pain over Time. Pain Res Manag. 2018;2018:9305126.
  • Chen JY, Chu CC, Lin YS, et al. Nutrient deficiencies as a risk factor in Taiwanese patients with postherpetic neuralgia. Br J Nutr. 2011;106:700-7.
  • Xu G, Lv ZW, Xu GX, Tang WZ. Thiamine, cobalamin, locally injected alone or combination for herpetic itching: a singlecenter randomized controlled trial. Clin J Pain. 2014;30:269-78.
  • van Wijck AJM, Aerssens YR. Pain, Itch, Quality of Life, and Costs after Herpes Zoster. Pain Pract. 2017;17:738-46.
  • Hacıbeyoğlu G, Arıcan Ş, Ulukaya SO, et al. Evaluation of the efficacy of erector spinae plane block and intercostal nerve block in the postherpetic neuralgia. Agri. 2020;32:208-18.
There are 15 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Dermatology
Journal Section Research article
Authors

İlkay Özer 0000-0001-6170-0930

Günseli Kekeç 0000-0001-8408-9441

Duygu İlke Yıldırım 0000-0002-3893-5173

Arzu Ataseven 0000-0001-5372-0712

Recep Dursun 0000-0002-1279-574X

Publication Date November 18, 2025
Submission Date September 29, 2025
Acceptance Date October 15, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 8 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Özer, İ., Kekeç, G., Yıldırım, D. İ., … Ataseven, A. (2025). The Relationship of Vitamin B 12 with Two Symptoms of Shingles: Who has Pain and Who has Itch? Tıp Fakültesi Klinikleri Dergisi, 8(3), 189-193.