title: Incidence and recurrence of boils and abscesses within the first year: a cohort study in UK primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Boils and abscesses are common in primary care but the burden of recurrent infection is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence of and risk factors for recurrence of boil or abscess for individuals consulting primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study using electronic health records from primary care in the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database was used to identify patients who had consulted their GP for a boil or abscess. Poisson regression was used to examine the relationship between age, sex, social deprivation, and consultation and to calculate the incidence of, and risk factors for, repeat consultation for a boil or abscess.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 164 461 individuals were identified who consulted their GP for a boil or abscess between 1995 and 2010. The incidence of first consultation for a boil or abscess was 512 (95% CI = 509 to 515) per 100 000 person-years in females and 387 (95% CI = 385 to 390) per 100 000 person-years in males. First consultations were most frequent in younger age groups (16-34 years) and those with the greatest levels of social deprivation. The rate of repeat consultation for a new infection during follow up was 107.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 105.6 to 109.4) per 1000 person-years. Obesity (relative risk [RR] 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.3), diabetes (RR 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.3), smoking (RR 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.4), age <30 years (RR 1.2, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.3), and prior antibiotic use (RR 1.4, 95% CI = 1.3-1.4) were all associated with repeat consultation for a boil or abscess.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ten percent of patients with a boil or abscess develop a repeat boil or abscess within 12 months. Obesity, diabetes, young age, smoking, and prescription of an antibiotic in the 6 months before initial presentation were independently associated with recurrent infection, and may represent options for prevention.
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection and Population Health.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Shallcross
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection and Population Health;
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection and Population Health.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005667:Furunculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: abscess; boils; epidemiology; primary care; risk factors