A RECENT cohort study has examined whether an increased genetic risk of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is linked to a higher likelihood of developing cardiometabolic diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that has previously been associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. However, the specific relationship between genetic susceptibility to HS and cardiometabolic outcomes has remained unclear.
The study involved 391,481 individuals from the UK Biobank, all of European ancestry, and utilised a polygenic risk score (PRS) for HS to assess potential risks. It found that those with a high PRS for HS (in the top 25%) had an elevated risk of developing both CAD and diabetes. Specifically, the odds ratio was 1.09 for CAD and 1.13 for diabetes in individuals with high genetic susceptibility to HS, compared to those with lower risk scores. These findings remained consistent when looking solely at newly diagnosed cases of CAD and diabetes, suggesting a robust link between genetic predisposition to HS and these cardiometabolic conditions.
Moreover, the study discovered that the PRS for HS was associated with changes in the plasma proteome, particularly in the expression of 58 proteins. Many of these proteins are involved in inflammatory and metabolic processes, which may explain the biological pathway linking HS to cardiometabolic diseases. By integrating proteomic data with the PRS for HS, the researchers improved the prediction models for both CAD and diabetes beyond standard factors such as age, sex, and body mass index.
These findings highlight the need for further investigation into the specific proteins affected by HS risk, as they could represent potential targets for future therapeutic interventions. The study underscores the importance of recognising HS as a condition that may predispose individuals to broader systemic health risks, particularly concerning cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Katie Wright, EMJ
Reference
Nielsen VW et al. Genetic susceptibility to hidradenitis suppurativa and predisposition to cardiometabolic disease. JAMA Dermatol. 2024;DOI:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.3779.
