Smoking Increases HS Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Patients, suggests study

A new study published in the journal of PloS One found a significant link between smoking and a heightened risk of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It highlights smoking cessation as a critical strategy to reduce HS risk in this vulnerable group. 

Acne inversa, another name for hidradenitis suppurativa, is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder marked by painful lesions that come again. The axillae, inguinal, and anogenital regions are among the body parts with apocrine glands where these deep-seated, inflammatory lesions are most common.

The exact prevalence of DM in HS patients is still unknown, though, since rates have been found to range from about 4% to 33%. Since HS is more common in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, it is essential to comprehend modifiable risk factors like smoking in order to improve patient outcomes. Thus, to clarify how smoking contributes to the onset or exacerbation of HS in this high-risk group, this study looked into the relationship between changes in smoking intensity and the risk of HS in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The data from 1,705,427 individuals in the Korean National Health Insurance Service were evaluated in this retrospective cohort research. After controlling for possible confounders such as gender, age, and concomitant diseases, the study looked at smoking status, changes in smoking intensity, and the incidence of HS in people with type 2 diabetes.

According to the study, those who maintained smoking had a 23.6% higher risk of heart disease (HS) than nonsmokers (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.236; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.075–1.421). Furthermore, compared to nonsmokers, those who smoked more cigarettes had a 28.5% greater risk of HS (aHR, 1.285; 95% CI, 1.048–1.577). However, when stratified by BMI, no discernible variations were seen in the relationship between changes in smoking intensity and the risk of HS.

Overall, the relevance of quitting smoking as a possible approach for reducing the risk of heart attacks in at-risk DM populations is highlighted by this study, which also shows a correlation between smoking and an elevated risk of heart attacks in people with type 2 diabetes. To further understand how smoking aggravates HS in people with type 2 diabetes and to find efficient treatments for this population, more study is required.

Reference:

Yook, H. J., Kim, E., Kim, Y. H., Lee, G.-N., Han, K., & Lee, J. H. (2025). A link between smoking behaviors and the risk of hidradenitis suppurativa in diabetic patients. PloS One, 20(6), e0325357. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325357