19 Sep Hidradenitis Suppurativa Linked To Increased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

MedicalResearch.com Interview :
Iben Marie Miller, MD
Department of Dermatology
Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde
Department of Health and Medical Sciences,
University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Miller: Using a cross-sectional design based on data from a Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) group recruited from the hospital (32 individuals), an HS group recruited from the general population (326 individuals) and 14,851 individuals without Hidradenitis Suppurativa, we investigated a possible association of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and the metabolic syndrome. We found that the HS groups had 2 to 4 times odds of having the metabolic syndrome when compared to individuals without HS leaving Hidradenitis Suppurativa patients at a high cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, we found that the odds were higher for the HS group from the hospital in comparison to the Hidradenitis Suppurativa group from the general population.

Medical Research: What was most surprising about the results?

Dr. Miller The conflicting results regarding the severity of Hidradenitis Suppurativa. On one hand we found that the odds were higher for the HS group from the hospital in comparison to the HS group from the general population maybe indicating that the more severe HS (i.e. hospital patients), the larger are the odds of having metabolic syndrome. On the other hand, when looking at Hidradenitis Suppurativa severity directly it did not seem to influence the association.

Furthermore, when looking at possible confounders obesity and inflammation did both act as possible confounders, but could only in part explain the association. Diet and physical activity level did not seem to play a role in the association.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Miller: We recommend screening hidradenitis suppurativa patients with all severity degrees for the metabolic syndrome.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Miller: Future longitudinal studies are needed in order to investigate the temporal relationship of this association.

Citation:

Association of Metabolic Syndrome and Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Iben Marie Miller, MD; Christina Ellervik, MD, PhD; Gabrielle Randskov Vinding, MD; Kian Zarchi, MD; Kristina Sophie Ibler, MD; Kim Mark Knudsen, PhD; Gregor B. E. Jemec, DMSc, MD

Iben Marie Miller, MD; Christina Ellervik, MD, PhD; Gabrielle Randskov Vinding, MD; Kian Zarchi, MD; Kristina Sophie Ibler, MD; Kim Mark Knudsen, PhD; Gregor B. E. Jemec, DMSc, MD

JAMA Dermatol. Published online September 17, 2014. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.1165

Last Updated on November 26, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD