TY - JOUR T1 - Post-herpetic neuralgia was not frequent or severe after a first episode of herpes zoster JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 58 LP - 58 DO - 10.1136/ebm.6.2.58 VL - 6 IS - 2 A2 - , Y1 - 2001/03/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/6/2/58.abstract N2 - (2000) BMJ 321, 794. Helgason S, Petursson G, Gudmundsson S, et al.. Prevalence of post-herpetic neuralgia after a first episode of herpes zoster: a prospective study with long term follow up.. Sep:. :. –6..OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
 
 QUESTION: In patients with a first episode of herpes zoster, what is the clinical course of the disease and the duration of pain? Inception cohort followed up for 12 months. Catchment area of 100 000 people for 62 general practitioners in Iceland. 421 patients {mean age 42 y, 56% women}* who had a first episode of herpes zoster. Patients with a history of zoster were excluded. Follow up was complete at 1 year. Sex and age. Severity and duration of pain and prevalence of post-herpetic neuralgia. Sex was not a predictor of post-herpetic neuralgia at any point during follow up. Age was a predictor of pain severity and duration. The odds ratio for pain per 10 years of age difference was 1.87 (95% CI 1.56 to 2.23) after 1 month, 2.11 (CI 1.56 to 2.84) after 3 months, and 2.33 (CI 1.48 to 3.69) after … ER -