Quitting Smoking Reduces Hidradenitis Suppurativa Risk

A new study suggests that smoking cessation is associated with reduced risk of developing hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). 

Researchers for the population-based cohort study looked at the relationship between the change in smoking habits and the incidence of HS in more than 6 million participants who underwent consecutive biennial health examinations. 

Participants who quit smoking between the two health examinations had a notably lower risk of developing HS compared to those who continued smoking. Patients who quit smoking by the second checkup saw a 32% reduction in HS risk (adjusted HR = 0.68). Participants who had never smoked had an even lower risk (adjusted HR = 0.57). Those who quit smoking initially but resumed by the second checkup, as well as new smokers, showed similar HS risk levels as those who continued smoking throughout the study period, suggesting that any resumption of smoking negates the potential protective effect of quitting. Risk reduction associated with smoking cessation was more pronounced over time. The incidence of HS among former smokers began to align with that of never smokers after 3 to 4 years, with the protective effect persisting for up to 12 years.

"Quitting smoking and maintaining a smoking-free status may reduce the risk of HS onset, suggesting the importance of smoking cessation and refraining from initiating or resuming smoking for HS prevention," they wrote in the study. 

Source:  Kim S, et al. JAMA Dermatology. Doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.2613