Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that significantly impairs quality of life and is associated with multiple comorbidities, including cardiovascular risk factors. Delayed diagnosis, often averaging seven years, exacerbates disease progression. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of HS patients, focusing on cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 128 patients diagnosed with HS, treated at Razi Dermatology Hospital between March 2017 and March 2023. Demographic data, smoking status, disease duration, and cardiovascular risk factors-including obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension- were retrospectively collected from patient records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software (version 28).
Results: The mean patient age was 32.02 ± 10.39 years, with a disease duration of 6.7 ± 5.20 years. Sixty percent of the patients were male, and 34% were daily smokers. Cardiovascular risk factors were prevalent: 32% of patients were overweight, and 45% were classified as obese. Additionally, 12.5% had hypertension, 12% had diabetes, and 8% had hyperlipidemia. Only 3% of patients were diagnosed with ischemic heart disease. A significant portion (36.5%) had no identifiable risk factors, while 27.5% had multiple risk factors.
Conclusion: This study highlights a significant prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among HS patients, emphasizing the importance of early screening and management. HS patients are at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, and addressing these risk factors could reduce the long-term health burden. Further research is needed to explore preventive strategies and improve patient outcomes.