Isoprinosine does not influence the natural history of herpes zoster or postherpetic neuralgia

Abstract

In a double-blind randomised trial, 38 elderly patients with acute herpes zoster received either isoprinosine (IP) or placebo. IP neither shortened the acute phase of herpes zoster nor prevented postherpetic neuralgia. Transient asymptomatic hyperuricaemia affected one third of IP treated patients. Shortcomings in study design and misleading interpretation of results are common in previously published clinical trials of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. Guidelines for future studies are proposed.