Hidradenitis Suppurativa Increases Cardiovascular Event Risk Save

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting exocrine glands with painful abscesses in intertriginous areas.  HS has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors (smoking and obesity) but it is unclear if there is a risk of cardiovascular comborbidities. A Danish population based study examined these associations (Citation source: http://buff.ly/1mHMOig). 

Among 35,368 Danish individuals, there were 5964 patients diagnosed with HS who were then  matched 1:5 against 29,404 normal controls.The mean age was 37.7 years and 73% were women.  After adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking, comorbidity, and medication, they found increased rates for MI, (IRR 1.57; 1.14-2.17),  ischemic stroke, (IRR 1.33; 1.01-1.76), CV-associated death (IRR 1.95; 1.42-2.67), MACE (IRR 1.53;1.27-1.86) and all cause mortality (IRR 1.35; 1.15-1.59). These event rates were not higher when compared with severe psoriasis patients, but HS patient did have more ischemic strokes compared to psoriasis (IRR 1.58; 1.17-2.12).

It appears that this chronic inflammatory skin disorder carries significantly more morbidity and mortality than was previously recognized and is at least equal to severe psoriasis in comoribidty risks.