Hidradenitis suppurativa raises maternal, offspring risks

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) poses increased risk of adverse maternal and offspring outcomes not only during the peripartum period but also in the long term, according to a study.

For the population-based longitudinal cohort study, researchers looked at 1,324,488 deliveries, including 1,332 (0.1 percent) among mothers with HS. Outcomes included hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, other birth outcomes, and the long-term risk of hospitalization up to 16 years after delivery.

Adjusted log-binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression models showed that relative to mothers without HS, those with HS were at greater risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (risk ratio [RR], 1.55, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.29–1.87), gestational diabetes (RR, 1.61, 95 percent CI, 1.40–1.85), and severe maternal morbidity (RR, 1.38, 95 percent CI, 1.03–1.84).

In terms of offspring outcomes, maternal HS was a risk factor for preterm birth (RR, 1.28, 95 percent CI, 1.07–1.53) and birth defects (RR, 1.29, 95 percent CI, 1.07–1.56).

As for long-term outcomes, HS was associated with heightened risks of maternal rehospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.29, 95 percent CI, 2.07–2.55) and childhood hospitalization (aHR, 1.31, 95 percent CI, 1.18–1.45), including hospitalization for respiratory, metabolic, psychiatric, and immune-related morbidity over time.

The findings highlight the potential of early detection and management of HS to mitigate these outcomes.