Increased prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 75; no. 2; pp. 329 - 335
• Main Authors: González-López, Marcos A., Hernández, José L., Lacalle, Marina, Mata, Cristina, López-Escobar, María, López-Mejías, Raquel, Portilla, Virginia, Fuentevilla, Patricia, Corrales, Alfonso, González-Vela, M. Carmen, González-Gay, Miguel A., Blanco, Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Adult; cardiovascular disease; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - epidemiology; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; carotid plaque; carotid ultrasonography; Case-Control Studies; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dermatology; Female; hidradenitis suppurativa; Hidradenitis Suppurativa - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - diagnostic imaging; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; subclinical atherosclerosis; Ultrasonography; cardiovascular disease; cIMT; LDL-c; hidradenitis suppurativa; carotid plaque; HS; PGA; carotid intima-media thickness; subclinical atherosclerosis; BP; CVD; HDL-c; carotid ultrasonography; BMI; blood pressure; body mass index; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Physician Global Assessment; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2016.03.025

Chronic inflammatory diseases have been associated with increased prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease involving intertriginous skin. We sought to investigate the potential association between HS and subclinical atherosclerosis. This study included 68 patients with HS and 136 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Patients with history of cardiovascular events, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, or another concomitant inflammatory condition were excluded. Carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques were measured by carotid ultrasonography. Adjustments were made for age, sex, and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Patients had greater carotid intima-media thickness values than control subjects (0.615 ± 0.097 vs 0.578 ± 0.098 mm; P = .012). Carotid plaques were also more frequent in patients than in control subjects (30.9% vs 22.1%). In the multivariable regression model adjusted for age, sex, and traditional cardiovascular risk factors, HS was significantly related to the presence of carotid plaques (odds ratio 2.99, 95% confidence interval 1.26-7.13; P = .013). Causality could not be assessed. These results indicate an increased frequency of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with HS. Accordingly, HS should be considered a disease associated with potentially increased cardiovascular risk.