Quitting Smoking Reduces HS Risk After 3 Years

TOPLINE:
Quitting smoking significantly lowered the risk of developing hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), with this reduction becoming evident 3-4 years after cessation, in a cohort study from Korea.
METHODOLOGY:
Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.
A total of 6,230,189 participants in South Korea who underwent two consecutive biennial health examinations from 2004 to 2005 and 2006 to 2007 were included.
Participants were categorized into six groups on the basis of their smoking status at both checkups: Sustained smokers, relapsed smokers, new smokers, smoking quitters, sustained ex-smokers, and never smokers.
The primary outcome was the development of HS.
TAKEAWAY:
A total of 3761 HS cases were detected during the 84,457,025 person-years of observation.
Smoking quitters (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.56-0.83), sustained ex-smokers (AHR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.57-0.77), and never smokers (AHR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.52-0.63) exhibited a reduced risk of developing HS compared with sustained smokers.
The risk of developing HS varied over time, with smoking quitters showing no significant risk reduction compared with sustained smokers in the first 3 years. After 3 years, a statistically significant decrease in HS risk was observed among quitters, which persisted over time.
At 3-6 years, the risk reduction in sustained quitters was comparable with that of never smokers (AHR, 0.58 and 0.63, respectively).
IN PRACTICE:
“Smoking cessation and maintaining a smoke-free lifestyle may be important preventive measures against the development of HS,” the authors concluded. In an accompanying editorial, Alexandra Charrow, MD, and Leandra Barnes, MD, of the Departments of Dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, respectively, wrote that while the study “importantly contributes to the understanding of the association of smoking tobacco and HS onset, prospective cohort studies in large, diverse cohorts of patients with HS may help dermatologists better understand the causal relationship between smoking and the onset or exacerbation of HS.” For now, they added, “dermatologists must continue to use comprehensive HS treatment strategies, including lifestyle modifications that promote overall health like smoking cessation, to improve the lives of those enduring HS.”
SOURCE:
The study was led by Seong Rae Kim, MD, Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea, and was published online, along with the editorial, on August 21 in JAMA Dermatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The study limitations include the potential for unexamined confounding factors like hereditary background, reliance on self-reported smoking status, and the exclusion of electronic cigarette use and nicotine replacement therapy. The predominantly male smoker population may limit generalizability, and delayed diagnosis of HS may not reflect the actual time of onset.
DISCLOSURES:
The study funding source was not disclosed. One study author reported various financial ties with pharmaceutical companies outside this work; other authors had no disclosures. Charrow’s disclosures included receiving personal fees from several pharmaceutical companies.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
 
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