A major study suggests that the shingles vaccine, Shingrix, could significantly reduce the risk of developing not only dementia but also heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. Scientists involved in the research believe that widespread vaccination could prevent tens of thousands of deaths annually in the UK alone, where the vaccine is available on the National Health Service (NHS) for adults turning 65.
Shingles is a painful condition caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, and its risks increase with age. Potential complications include long-lasting nerve pain, hearing loss, and blindness.
In the UK, the Shingrix vaccine is currently administered to individuals aged 70-79, those turning 65, and people with compromised immune systems. It replaced the older Zostavax vaccine in September 2023 due to its improved safety profile for immunocompromised individuals.
Researchers from the University of Oxford analyzed data from over 70,000 adults over 60 in the United States, which transitioned from Zostavax to Shingrix in October 2017. The study, published in Nature Medicine, compared 36,460 adults who received Zostavax before the switch with an equal number who received Shingrix. These groups were matched for numerous factors influencing heart health, such as age, sex, ethnicity, pre-existing conditions, and medication use.
The findings indicated that recipients of the Shingrix vaccine were 10% less likely to develop coronary heart disease, a condition where clogged arteries increase the risk of heart attack and heart failure. Furthermore, Shingrix was associated with a 12% lower risk of heart failure over a seven-year period. While the benefits were observed in both men and women, men specifically showed a 12% increase in time lived stroke-free.
'Shingrix appears to protect against cardiovascular disease in both women and men, and we found that the protective association was most pronounced for ischemic heart disease and heart failure, but less so for ischemic stroke. It was, however, significant in males,' stated Dr. Maxime Taquet, associate professor at Oxford and lead author of the study.
These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting potential neurological benefits. Previous research, including a Stanford study, indicated that older adults vaccinated with Shingrix were approximately 20% less likely to develop dementia over seven years. More recent US-based research reported a 24% lower likelihood of dementia diagnosis in individuals receiving Shingrix over a four-year period.
Experts not involved in the current study have reacted positively, suggesting the findings amplify the known benefits of shingles vaccination. Professor Ian Jones from the University of Reading explained that while the vaccine targets a specific virus protein, the inclusion of immune-stimulating chemicals might also help clear low-level inflammation associated with age-related conditions, potentially including cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
Dr. Mark Russell, a consultant rheumatologist at King’s College London, noted that while individual benefits may seem small, the large number of people vaccinated means even a minor cardiovascular advantage could prevent a substantial number of events at a population level. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the UK, and dementia affects nearly one million people, with projections indicating a significant increase by 2040.