The newer shingles vaccine may do more than prevent a painful rash. A study of more than 70,000 older adults in the United States found that people who received the recombinant vaccine had a lower burden of cardiovascular disease over seven years than those who got the older live vaccine. The research, led by scientists at the University of Oxford, was published in Nature Medicine.
What the study found
The study compared adults aged 60 and older who received Shingrix, the newer recombinant vaccine, with those who received Zostavax, the older live vaccine. A switch in the United States between the two vaccines created a natural experiment that let researchers compare large groups. Over seven years, the Shingrix group had a 9 percent lower overall burden of cardiovascular disease, a measure that combines coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke. Coronary heart disease was 10 percent lower, and heart failure was 12 percent lower. Men who received Shingrix also had a 12 percent lower burden of stroke. Atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, was 7 percent lower across the whole group.
Why the vaccine might help the heart
The researchers said the benefit may come from the vaccine's adjuvant, an ingredient called AS01 that boosts the immune response. That ingredient may change how immune cells behave and reduce inflammation, including weaker responses from a signaling protein called IL-6 that is linked to cardiovascular risk. The protective effect was present in both sexes and was strongest in the years soon after vaccination, then weakened over time.
What it means for patients
The findings are observational, meaning they show a link rather than proof that the vaccine protects the heart. But they add to a growing picture: the same Oxford team earlier found that Shingrix was linked to lower rates of dementia. Doctors already recommend shingles vaccination for older adults to prevent the painful infection and its complications. If future studies confirm the heart benefit, the vaccine could prevent a meaningful number of cardiovascular events in older populations, the authors said.