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News
Article
HS in Children and Adolescents: Obesity-Related Treatment and Comorbidity Patterns
Author(s):
Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are common among obese pediatric patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, according to a poster presented at the SPD's annual meeting.
A recent study, presented in a poster at the 2024 Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting in Toronto, ON, reported that pediatric patients with obesity and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) experience comorbidities associated with HS much more frequently than patients who are not obese.1
Background and Methods
The study was conducted at the Mayo Clinic with a cohort of patients who were born between 1992 and 2011, diagnosed with HS before the age of 18, and received care at the Mayo Clinic Dermatology Department. These patients were followed over time into adulthood, allowing for a longitudinal analysis of their health outcomes.
Findings
The study identified a total of 180 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 66 patients had documented Hurley stages. When comparing obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²) and non-obese patients, no significant difference in disease severity was observed based on Hurley staging (p=0.675). However, the study revealed several significant distinctions related to obesity and treatment.
Obese patients (n=49) were more likely to be prescribed biologic medications compared to their non-obese patient counterparts (n=131), with statistical significance (p=0.012). This finding, according to poster authors Numani et al, suggests a potential inclination towards more aggressive treatment approaches in obese patients.
However, researchers reported no significant differences in the prescription of other oral and topical medications between obese and non-obese patients with statical significance(p=0.442).
The study also highlighted the higher prevalence of comorbidities among obese patients with HS. These comorbid conditions included hypertension, hyperlipidemia, psoriasis, irritable bowel disease, anxiety/depression, thyroid disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The association between obesity and a greater number of comorbidities was statistically significant (p=0.05). Furthermore, these metrics did not show significant variation between adolescent patients (over 12 years old) and younger pediatric cases, indicating consistent patterns across different age groups.
Conclusions
"This analysis demonstrates that, while BMI does not affect disease severity based on Hurley staging, obese patients are more likely to receive biologic therapy and have more comorbidities than non-obese patients," wrote Numani et al.
According to researchers, these findings highlight the need for a tailored, multidisciplinary approach in managing HS in young patients, particularly those who are obese. By addressing the broader health issues and implementing individualized treatment plans, health care providers can improve outcomes and quality of life for these patients.
Reference
- Numani AS, Ziebart R, Mohandesi NA, et al. Associations between BMI, disease severity, comorbidities, and medications in pediatric and adolescent hidradenitis suppurativa patients: A cohort and cross-sectional analysis. Poster presented at the 2024 Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting, July 11-14; Toronto, ON.
