No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Data on 42 patients with brachioradial pruritus seen in Hawaii over a 2-year period are presented. In contrast to previous reports, the sex ratio was 1:1 with a preponderance of patients in the younger age groups. All patients had developed the disorder after having lived in Hawaii for at least one year. More than half the cases had no history of neck trauma or arthritis, ruling out a peripheral neuropathy as the cause. Radiographs of 15 patients showed changes only in the patients in the older, arthritis-age groups. Brachioradial pruritus appears to be peculiar to the tropics.

Geographic and racial factors have been reported in studies of the epidemiology of varicella and herpes zoster. To clarify further these relationships, data from five multicenter clinical trials of the antiviral agent famciclovir were examined (total N = 2074). Non-Caucasian racial group and tropical region were each significantly associated with younger age at zoster onset. In analyses of the non-Caucasian subgroups, Black and Asian patients did not significantly differ in age or sex; however, Black and Asian patients from tropical regions had significantly younger mean ages at onset and greater rash duration at enrollment than those from temperate regions. Controlling for sex and rash duration at enrollment, both tropical region and non-Caucasian racial group were found to be independently associated with a younger age at zoster onset. These results suggest that racial group and geographic region may be independent factors associated with age at onset in patients with herpes zoster.