Non-cutaneous infections in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that typically begins after puberty, primarily affecting young adults. It is associated with a wide array of comorbidities, including inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome, as well as psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety. Emerging studies have demonstrated that individuals with HS experience higher rates of hospitalizations, readmissions, and emergency department visits when compared to those with psoriasis, another common inflammatory skin condition. Moreover, infections have emerged as a primary cause of hospitalization among these patients. Yet, the specific risk factors and types of infection among HS patients remain inadequately characterized. The first project aims to identify the prevalence and the main risk factors associated with hospitalization from non-cutaneous infections within an HS patient cohort from a single health system, utilizing medical and demographic information from electronic medical records. This project offers a more detailed analysis of patient characteristics and hospitalization risk factors than prior studies, which often relied on inpatient samples without detailed patient data. The second project aims to compare the risk of non-cutaneous serious infections between patients with HS and psoriasis. The rationale for selecting psoriasis as a control group stems from the similarities between the two conditions, including their inflammatory nature, treatment modalities, and associated comorbidities. By employing a nationwide claims database, this study intends to provide a representative comparative analysis of the risk of serious infection between these populations.