A population-based study published in JAMA Dermatology found that hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is associated with higher rates of self-harm and suicide compared with the general population.

The study analyzed nationwide Danish registry data from 2003 to 2020 and included 9,566 patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and 47,827 age- and sex-matched controls. Researchers examined episodes of self-harm and death by suicide during follow-up.

During the study period, 3.3% of patients with HS experienced self-harm compared with 1.1% of controls. In adjusted analyses, HS was associated with a higher hazard of self-harm than in the control population.

Suicide was also more common among patients with HS. Seventeen patients with HS (0.2%) died by suicide compared with 31 individuals (0.1%) in the control group. Adjusted analyses showed a higher hazard of suicide among patients with HS.

Among individuals who died by suicide, patients with HS more frequently had a history of prior self-harm (41.7% vs 14.8%) and were more likely to use nonviolent methods compared with controls.

“Self-harm was more frequent before suicide in patients with HS vs controls, highlighting the importance of clinician awareness in a multidisciplinary setting,” the authors wrote.

The authors noted that strengths of the study included the use of nationwide registry data and a large sample with long follow-up. Limitations included the absence of clinical measures of HS severity and reliance on hospital-based HS diagnoses, which may not capture all cases.

The findings highlight the potential mental health burden associated with HS and underscore the importance of clinician awareness when caring for patients with the disease.

Several authors reported industry relationships. Amit Garg, MD, PhD, reported receiving personal fees from multiple pharmaceutical companies during the conduct of the study; additional disclosures are reported in the original publication.

Source: JAMA Dermatology