A Clinical Study of Motor Involvement by Herpes Zoster

Her, Young; Kim, Chul Woo; Kim, Sang Seok

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Herpes zoster is a self-limiting disease and it usually resolves completely. However it may have serious complications and clinically detectable muscular weakness can sometimes occurs. In Korea, there has been no extensive clinical study of the incidence of motor nerve involvement by herpes zoster.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to estimated the frequency of motor involvement and the risk factors of this in patients with herpes zoster.
METHODS
We reviewed 2,378 cases of herpes zoster to determine the dermatomal distribution of lesions, the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, the incidence of motor involvement, the associated disorders and the age distribution.
RESULTS
The frequency of motor involvement was associated with the involved dermatome. And the average duration from the rash to motor involvement was 23 days.
CONCLUSION
We concluded the incidence of symptomatic motor involvement of herpes zoster was lower than past studies about herpes zoster. And the sacral dermatome had higher frequency of motor involvement than in any other dermatome.