Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Safety and Tolerability of Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Immunized Prior to Biologics and Tofacitinib Therapy Initiation
Brief Summary:
The reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) (herpes zoster (HZ)) is of substantial public health concern. Updated ACR recommendations for RA treatment suggest that RA patients aged ≥ 50 years should be vaccinated before receiving biologic or tofacitinib therapy. The Investigators therefore propose a prospective study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a zoster vaccine (Zostavax) in patients with RA, administered at least 2 weeks prior to initiation of anti-TNF biologic and tofacitinib therapy for RA.
This is a 6-week open-label prospective multi-center study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of Zostavax vaccine in the RA population prior to initiation of biologic/tofacitinib therapy for RA. VZV-specific immune response to vaccine in RA patients will be compared to healthy control subjects ≥ 50 years immunized with Zostavax.