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COVID-19 Infection in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients: A Retrospective Study
Devea R De1, Jonathan W Rick2, Terri Shih3
1Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Insights
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) patients with COVID-19 did not experience worse outcomes than those without HS. This suggests HS is not a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 complications.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Infectious disease epidemiology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
- HS is linked to comorbidities that increase COVID-19 severity risk.
- The impact of HS on COVID-19 outcomes requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate demographics and COVID-19 outcomes in patients with HS.
- To compare COVID-19 severity and complications between HS patients and a matched control group.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 58 HS patients with COVID-19 (HS+/COVID+) and matched controls without HS (HS-/COVID+).
- Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, vaccination status, and COVID-19 outcomes.
- Fisher's exact test analyzed risk factors and outcomes; p<0.05 was significant.
Main Results:
- HS-/COVID+ patients had higher rates of cardiovascular disease (51% vs. 24%) and pregnancy (23% vs. 4%).
- COVID-19 complications (35% vs. 7%) and treatment (37% vs. 7%) were more frequent in HS-/COVID+ patients.
- Vaccination rates were similar between groups (6% vs. 5%).
Conclusions:
- HS itself may not be an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.
- Comorbidities, not HS, appear to drive severe COVID-19 in affected patients.
- Further research is needed to understand HS and COVID-19 interactions.
Introduction:
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is associated with comorbidities that are risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection. We evaluated demographics and COVID-19 outcomes in HS patients.
Methods:
HS patients with COVID-19 (HS+/COVID+) and a randomized age-, race-, and sex-matched control population of patients without HS with COVID-19 (HS-/COVID+) were selected through a retrospective chart review. Data were collected on demographics, medications, comorbidities, vaccination status, and COVID-19 treatment/outcomes. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the relationship between risk factors and COVID-19 outcomes. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
There were 58 HS+/COVID+ patients, primarily African American (83%, n = 48) and female (88%, n = 51). Compared to HS+/COVID+ patients, HS-/COVID+ patients were significantly more likely to have cardiovascular disease (51% vs. 24%; p = 0.0029) and be pregnant (23% vs. 4%; p = 0.0093). HS+/COVID+ and HS-/COVID+ patients did not vary significantly in vaccination rate at time of COVID-19 diagnosis (6% vs. 5%; p = 0.78). HS-/COVID+ patients were significantly more likely to have COVID-19 complications (35% vs. 7%; p = 0.001) and receive COVID-19 treatment (37% vs. 7%; p = 0.0001) when compared to HS+/COVID+ patients.
Conclusion:
Our findings support the growing evidence that having HS itself may not be a risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.
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