title: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is associated with low socioeconomic status (SES): A cross-sectional reference study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic debilitating disease, whereby school attendance and employment can be disturbed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the socioeconomic status (SES) in patients with HS relative to other dermatologic patients, and whether specific clinical HS characteristics correlate with SES.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this multicenter cross-sectional reference study, data were collected from patients with HS and sex- and age-matched dermatologic patients in a 1:2 ratio. SES was derived from the mean household income and real estate value on a neighborhood level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SES distribution among 1018 patients with HS was significantly lower than among 2039 age- and sex-matched dermatologic control patients (P < .001). In patients with HS a low SES was associated with axillary involvement (odds ratio 1.42, P = .04), high body mass index (odds ratio 1.03, P = .003), and lower age at inclusion (odds ratio 0.98, P = .001), but not with disease severity or age of disease onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SES was based on postal code level and causality cannot be determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the general population, low SES is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking and obesity. Therefore, low SES might be a risk factor for developing HS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Inge E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Deckers
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ineke C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Janse
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hessel H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: van der Zee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nijsten
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jurr
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.prens@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Errol P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Prens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: acne inversa; hidradenitis suppurativa; income; obesity; real estate value; smoking; socioeconomic status