Background: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with inflammation, immune response, and chronic pain. However, the impact of BMI on pain in patients with herpes zoster remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether BMI was associated with acute pain and postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster. Methods: We analyzed medical records of 620 patients with herpes zoster, aged ≥50 years, from 2017 to 2021. BMI was classified into three categories: underweight, BMI＜18.5 kg/m2 ; normal, 18.5 kg/m2 ≤BMI＜25.0 kg/m2 ; and obesity, BMI≥25.0 kg/m2 . Acute pain in patients with herpes zoster was assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) with scores ranging from 0∼10. To evaluate acute and chronic pain in patients with herpes zoster, we used a multiple linear regression model for the acute pain score and a multivariate logistic regression model for the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Results: The acute pain NRS score was higher in the underweight group than in the normal group (3.9 vs. 3.0, p=0.01). No significant differences were observed between the obese and normal-weight groups. In multivariate analysis, odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the obesity group was 1.80 (95% confidence interval, 1.22∼2.66;p＜0.01) compared to the normal weight group. However, the odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the underweight group was not significantly different from that in the normal-weight group. Conclusion In patients with herpes zoster, being underweight was associated with a higher NRS score of acute pain than normal weight, and obesity was associated with a higher incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than normal weight.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with inflammation, immune response, and chronic pain. However, the impact of BMI on pain in patients with herpes zoster remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether BMI was associated with acute pain and postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster. Methods: We analyzed medical records of 620 patients with herpes zoster, aged ≥50 years, from 2017 to 2021. BMI was classified into three categories: underweight, BMI＜18.5 kg/m2 ; normal, 18.5 kg/m2 ≤BMI＜25.0 kg/m2 ; and obesity, BMI≥25.0 kg/m2 . Acute pain in patients with herpes zoster was assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) with scores ranging from 0∼10. To evaluate acute and chronic pain in patients with herpes zoster, we used a multiple linear regression model for the acute pain score and a multivariate logistic regression model for the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Results: The acute pain NRS score was higher in the underweight group than in the normal group (3.9 vs. 3.0, p=0.01). No significant differences were observed between the obese and normal-weight groups. In multivariate analysis, odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the obesity group was 1.80 (95% confidence interval, 1.22∼2.66;p＜0.01) compared to the normal weight group. However, the odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the underweight group was not significantly different from that in the normal-weight group. Conclusion In patients with herpes zoster, being underweight was associated with a higher NRS score of acute pain than normal weight, and obesity was associated with a higher incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than normal weight.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with inflammation, immune response, and chronic pain. However, the impact of BMI on pain in patients with herpes zoster remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether BMI was associated with acute pain and postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster. Methods: We analyzed medical records of 620 patients with herpes zoster, aged ≥50 years, from 2017 to 2021. BMI was classified into three categories: underweight, BMI＜18.5 kg/m2 ; normal, 18.5 kg/m2 ≤BMI＜25.0 kg/m2 ; and obesity, BMI≥25.0 kg/m2 . Acute pain in patients with herpes zoster was assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) with scores ranging from 0∼10. To evaluate acute and chronic pain in patients with herpes zoster, we used a multiple linear regression model for the acute pain score and a multivariate logistic regression model for the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Results: The acute pain NRS score was higher in the underweight group than in the normal group (3.9 vs. 3.0, p=0.01). No significant differences were observed between the obese and normal-weight groups. In multivariate analysis, odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the obesity group was 1.80 (95% confidence interval, 1.22∼2.66;p＜0.01) compared to the normal weight group. However, the odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the underweight group was not significantly different from that in the normal-weight group. Conclusion In patients with herpes zoster, being underweight was associated with a higher NRS score of acute pain than normal weight, and obesity was associated with a higher incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than normal weight.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with inflammation, immune response, and chronic pain. However, the impact of BMI on pain in patients with herpes zoster remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether BMI was associated with acute pain and postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster. Methods: We analyzed medical records of 620 patients with herpes zoster, aged ≥50 years, from 2017 to 2021. BMI was classified into three categories: underweight, BMI＜18.5 kg/m2 ; normal, 18.5 kg/m2 ≤BMI＜25.0 kg/m2 ; and obesity, BMI≥25.0 kg/m2 . Acute pain in patients with herpes zoster was assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) with scores ranging from 0∼10. To evaluate acute and chronic pain in patients with herpes zoster, we used a multiple linear regression model for the acute pain score and a multivariate logistic regression model for the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Results: The acute pain NRS score was higher in the underweight group than in the normal group (3.9 vs. 3.0, p=0.01). No significant differences were observed between the obese and normal-weight groups. In multivariate analysis, odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the obesity group was 1.80 (95% confidence interval, 1.22∼2.66;p＜0.01) compared to the normal weight group. However, the odds ratio for postherpetic neuralgia in the underweight group was not significantly different from that in the normal-weight group. Conclusion In patients with herpes zoster, being underweight was associated with a higher NRS score of acute pain than normal weight, and obesity was associated with a higher incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than normal weight.

Background/Aims: Synchronous multiple gastric cancer (SMGC) accounts for approximately 6% to 14% of gastric cancer (GC) cases. This study aimed to identify risk factors for SMGC. Methods: A total of 14,603 patients diagnosed with GC were prospectively enrolled. Data including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history, p53 expression, microsatellite instability, cancer classification, lymph node metastasis, and treatment were collected. Risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis between a single GC and SMGC. Results: The incidence of SMGC was 4.04%, and that of early GC (EGC) and advanced GC (AGC) was 5.43% and 3.11%, respectively. Patients with SMGC were older (65.33 years vs 61.75 years, p<0.001) and more likely to be male. Lymph node metastasis was found in 27% of patients with SMGC and 32% of patients with single GC. Multivariate analysis showed that SMGC was associated with sex (male odds ratio [OR], 1.669; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.223 to 2.278; p=0.001), age (≥65 years OR, 1.532; 95% CI, 1.169 to 2.008; p=0.002), and EGC (OR, 1.929; 95% CI, 1.432 to 2.600; p<0.001). Survival rates were affected by Lauren classification, sex, tumor size, cancer type, distant metastasis, and venous invasion but were not related to the number of GCs. However, the survival rate of AGC with SMGC was very high. Conclusions SMGC had unique characteristics such as male sex, older age, and EGC, and the survival rate of AGC, in which the intestinal type was much more frequent, was very good (Trial registration number: NCT04973631).