HS Incidence Nearly Doubled Among Tobacco Smokers
The incidence of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) may be doubled in tobacco smokers, according to the results of a recent study.
The relationship between tobacco use and the risk of developing HS is controversial.
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Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using a sample of over 50 million patients, identifying 3,924,310 tobacco smokers, among whom were 7860 patients with HS.
The overall incidence of HS was 0.20% among smokers and 0.11% among non-smokers, and the overall adjusted odds of developing HS was 1.90 among smokers, compared with non-smokers.
Overall, incidence of HS among tobacco smokers was highest in individuals aged 18 to 39 years (0.35%), women (0.28%), African Americans (0.46%) and those with BMI of 30 or more (0.33%).
“Incidence of HS appears to be doubled among tobacco smokers. These findings may support evidence-based counseling efforts on cessation of smoking for populations at risk for HS.”
—Michael Potts
Reference:
Garg A, Papagermanos V, Midura M, Strunk A. Incidence of Hidradenitis Suppurativa among Tobacco Smokers: a population based retrospective analysis in the United States [published online September 27, 2017]. Br J Dermatol. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15939.