Screening for Diabetes Mellitus in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa—A Monocentric Study in Germany

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin disease that is often associated with metabolic disorders. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequent comorbidity in HS. There is currently no established screening for DM in HS patients. The aim of our study was to identify high-risk groups of HS patients that develop DM and to assess the frequency of different types of DM present in HS patients. To do so, we conducted a monocentric study in 99 patients with HS. All patients underwent detailed clinical and laboratory assessments, including the determination of glycated hemoglobin. Among the 20.2% of patients that presented with DM, type 2 was by far the most prevalent (19 out of 20 patients). Moreover, male gender, age, BMI, Hurley stage, modified Hidradenitis Suppurativa Score (mHSS), DLQI and hypertension all correlated with the glycated hemoglobin levels in the HS patients. In the multivariable analysis, Hurley stage III, older age, and higher BMI were significantly associated with DM. Specifically, patients at Hurley stage III were at a 5.3-fold increased risk of having DM type II compared to patients at earlier Hurley stages. Since many of the HS patients had not been diagnosed, our study reveals shortcomings in the screening for DM and suggest that this should be routinely performed in HS patients at high risk to avoid secondary complications.