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The following is a summary of “A diverse hidradenitis suppurativa cohort: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 13,130 patients from a large US health care system database from 1995 to 2022,” published in the March 2025 issue of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology by Young et al. 

Most epidemiological studies on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) have focused on uniform populations.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine demographics, modifiable health behaviors, and comorbidities in individuals with HS within a diverse cohort.  

They analyzed the data from 13,130 individuals with HS within a healthcare system.  

The results showed a female sex bias of approximately 3:1 across all racial and ethnic subgroups. Black/African American (AA) individuals were diagnosed with HS at a younger age than White individuals (37.1 years vs 39.4 years, P < .001). Among females with HS, obesity was more prevalent in Black/AA individuals than in White individuals (69.9% vs 56.5%; P = .03), whereas, among males with HS, obesity was less common in Black/AA individuals compared to White individuals (51.4% vs 61.0%; P < .001). Black/AA individuals had higher odds of congestive heart failure (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, CI = 1.19-3.78; P < .05), chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 1.34; CI = 1.02-1.78; P < .05), diabetes with chronic complications (OR = 1.73; CI = 1.16-2.60; P < .05), renal disease (OR = 2.66; CI = 1.67-4.34; P < .05), and a Charlson comorbidity index score of ≥4 (OR = 1.67; CI = 1.09-2.58; P < .05) compared to White individuals. Additionally, males had greater odds of renal disease than females (OR = 2.62; CI = 1.66-4.14; P < .05).  

Investigators concluded that subgroups of individuals with HS had notable differences in demographics, risk factors, and comorbid conditions. 

Source: jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(24)03121-9/abstract