Hidradenitis suppurativa and its association with obesity, smoking, and diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Our meta-analysis aimed to quantify the association between Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and several risk factors including obesity, smoking, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature for articles reporting either the odds ratio (OR) or the numbers of HS cases associated with obesity, smoking, or T2DM, and including HS negative controls. Risk of bias was assessed against the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions tool. Data synthesis was done using the random effects model with heterogeneity being evaluated with I² statistic. Twenty-three studies with a total of 29 562 087 patients (average age of 36.6 years) were included. Ten studies relied on country-level data, while six studies collected their data from HS clinics. The analysis showed a significant association between HS and female sex (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.89–2.90, I² = 98.6%), DM (OR 2.78, 95% CI 2.23–3.47, I² = 98.9%), obesity (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.64–3.74, I² = 99.9%), and smoking (OR 3.10 95% CI 2.60–3.69, I² = 97.1%). Our meta-analysis highlights HS links to sex, DM, obesity, and smoking, with emphasis on holistic management approach. Further research is needed on molecular mechanisms and additional risk factors for improved patient care.