Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction & Objective: Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), or Verneuil’s disease, is a chronic suppurative inflammatory condition. This study aims to determinate the association between HS and metabolic diseases.

Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study between January 2012 and December 2022 enrolling all cases of HS in our dermatology department.

Results: Over 11 years, we collected 77 cases. The average age was 39 years, with a sex ratio M/F of 4.1. Regarding lifestyle habits, 74% of patients were sedentary, and 66,2% were active smokers. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) was 26.38±4,44 [15-38.4]. Overweight and obesity were observed in 32.5% and 20.8% of patients, respectively. In our sample, 10 patients (13%) had previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM), and 5 others (6.5%) were newly identified with prediabetes (fasting blood glucose between 1.1 and 1.25 g/l). Furthermore, six patients had a history of dyslipidemia (7.8%). The lipid profile indicated elevated triglyceride levels (above 1.50 g/l) in 8 cases (10.4%), elevated total cholesterol levels (above 2 g/l) in 4 cases (5.2%), and low HDL-cholesterol levels (below 0.4 g/l) in one case. Finally, 4 patients were diagnosed with hypertension (HT) (5.2%), and only one exhibited coronary insufficiency, undergoing revascularization (1.3%).

Conclusions: The significant prevalence of obesity and overweight in our HS series aligns with existing literature suggesting an association between these two conditions. Indeed, adipose tissue can release pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6, which are implicated in the pathophysiology of the dermatosis. For this reason, weight reduction is an essential non-pharmacological therapeutic approach in the management of HS. A literature review conducted in 2021 revealed that the prevalence of DM among HS patients is estimated to be between 7,1% and 20,8%. Similarly, the risk of dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL levels is 1,4 to 4 times higher in the HS population compared to the control group. In addition, obesity and tobacco use are risk factors for HT and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). According to a literature review, patients with HS have a significantly higher prevalence of HT with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1,2 to 2,1. In a cohort study, the adjusted incident risk of MACE among patients with HS is 1,5 times that of control individuals. In summary, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases constitute a cluster of comorbidities associated with HS, contributing to an increase in morbidity and mortality related to this chronic dermatosis.