Table 1. Characteristics of cases with herpes zoster and matched controls.
| Characteristics | Cases n = 5952 | Controls n = 5952 |
|---|---|---|
| Age in years-N (mean, SD) | ||
| 45–59 | 1831 (53.0, 3.6) | 2011 (53.5, 3.9) |
| 60–69 | 1814 (63.4, 3.0) | 1785 (64.4, 3.2) |
| 70–79 | 1432 (73.1, 3.0) | 1400 (74.1, 3.3) |
| 80+ | 875 (82.8, 3.6) | 756 (83.3, 3.5) |
| Sex- N (%) | ||
| Male | 2366 (39.8) | 2366 (39.8) |
| Female | 3586 (60.2) | 3586 (60.2) |
| Residency- N (%) | ||
| Major city | 2871(48.2) | 2775 (46.6) |
| Inner regional | 2003 (33.6) | 2068 (34.7) |
| Outer regional | 980 (16.5) | 967 (16.2) |
| Remote | 95 (1.6) | 135 (2.3) |
| Partner/Married- N (%) | ||
| Yes | 4429 (74.4) | 4310 (72.4) |
| No | 1523 (25.6) | 1642 (27.6) |
| Smoking- N (%) | ||
| Never | 3444 (57.9) | 3430 (57.6) |
| Past | 2179 (36.6) | 2076 (34.9) |
| Current | 302 (5.1) | 4.11 (6.9) |
| Attended preventative health screeninga- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 5343 (89.8) | 5355 (90.0) |
| No | 609 (10.2) | 597 (10.0) |
| Supplements in 4 weeks prior to recruitment- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 5278 (88.7) | 5390 (90.6) |
| No | 674 (11.3) | 562 (9.4) |
| Prior immunosuppressionb- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 106 (1.8) | 82 (1.4) |
| No | 5846 (98.2) | 5870 (98.6) |
| Prior cancer- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 483 (8.1) | 348 (5.8) |
| No | 5469 (91.9) | 5604 (94.2) |
| Physical limitation- N(%) | ||
| None | 1397 (23.5) | 1384 (23.3) |
| Minor | 865 (14.5) | 785 (13.2) |
| Moderate | 1836 (30.9) | 1908 (32.1) |
| Severe | 1210 (20.3) | 1214 (20.4) |
| Heart disease- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 961 (16.2) | 1051 (17.7) |
| No | 4991 (83.8) | 4901 (82.3) |
| Asthma- N(%) | ||
| Yes | 910 (15.2) | 916 (15.4) |
| No | 5042 (84.7) | 5036 (84.6) |
| Prior health care utilisation -N (mean, SD)c | ||
| Hospitalisation | 5952 (0.8, 4.2) | 5952 (0.8, 5.5) |
| GP visits | 5952 (8.4, 7.4) | 5952 (8.2, 7.1) |
| Prescriptions filled | 5952 (27.6, 32.4) | 5952 (27.4, 31.7) |
| ED visits | 5952 (0.3, 0.9) | 5952 (0.3, 0.8) |
Columns do not always add to totals due to missing data
a Any of prostate specific antigen testing, mammography, bowel cancer screening
b Prior immunosuppression was defined if individuals linked to a HIV registration, a PBS record of an immunosuppressive medication, or a hospitalization in the year prior to study entry for any one of a list of potentially immunosuppressive conditions including transplants or conditions that may result in administration of high-dose steroids [16].
c Per unit of time—see methods
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; GP, general practitioner; ED, emergency department.