Abstract: This study investigated the effect of ultrasound-guided nerve block in the treatment of acute herpes zoster herpetic neuralgia and its effect on serum immune response molecules. 80 patients with acute herpetic neuralgia were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group, 40 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with ultrasound-guided intercostal nerve block plus oral analgesic drugs and antiviral drugs, while the control group was treated with oral analgesic drugs and antiviral drugs. The operation time and block onset time of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the first puncture success rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The VAS scores of the observation group and the control group were decreased with the treatment time, and the VAS scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group at the corresponding time points from the 1st week to the 4th week after treatment (P<0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The levels of interleukin (IL) -10, IL-26, high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1) and CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL-10) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Ultrasound-guided intercostal nerve block can reduce the operation time, improve the success rate of the first puncture, more effectively relieve the patient's pain, improve the patient's immune function, and regulate the level of related cytokines.

Key words: ultrasound, nerve block, herpes zoster, neuralgia, immunoglobulin, interleukin, high mobility group protein 1, CXC chemokine ligand 10