Establishment of a Prediction Model for Postherpetic Neuralgia

This prospective cohort study enrolled 300 herpes zoster (HZ) patients at varying disease stages (1 week to 3 months post-onset) to investigate predictors of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Comprehensive baseline data were collected, including demographic characteristics (age, sex, body mass index [BMI]), clinical comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus), disease-specific parameters (duration of zoster-associated pain [ZAP], dermatomal distribution, pregabalin dosage equivalents), and psychometric assessments using validated scales (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS], age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index [aCCI], Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7], Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9], and Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]). Laboratory evaluations encompassed routine hematological tests (complete blood count [CBC], hepatic/renal function), metabolic profiling (triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol [TC], lipoprotein subfractions), inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], comprehensive cytokine panel including interleukins [IL] and interferons [IFN]), and detailed immunophenotyping via multicolor flow cytometry of peripheral blood lymphocytes. After a 3-month follow-up, patients were to be stratified into PHN and non-PHN groups based on pain persistence. The use of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was planned to identify significant predictive factors and develop a multivariate model, with the aim of establishing a precision medicine framework for early PHN risk stratification through integrated analysis of clinical and immunological parameters.