Hidradenitis suppurativa is not associated with the metabolic syndrome based on body type: A cross-sectional study

A body type with a high waist circumference or elevated waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), known as the "apple" body type, represents central/visceral obesity and is associated with the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to simultaneously investigate the body mass index (BMI) and WHR in order to classify body types in individuals with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) compared with a general dermatological population. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was performed in the Netherlands. One hundred and six HS patients and 212 controls were included. The BMI was significantly higher in the HS group in comparison with the control group, at 27.8 ± 5.4 and 25.6 ± 4.8, respectively (P < 0.001). The WHR did not significantly differ between HS patients and the control dermatological population (P > 0.05). A more peripheral pattern of bodyweight distribution was seen in 43% of the 37 obese HS individuals, in contrast to 19% of 31 obese patients in the control group (P = 0.036). In conclusion, the body type in obese HS patients, based on the WHR, shows a more peripheral pattern and differs from the WHR in the BMI-matched general dermatological population.