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The association between hidradenitis suppurativa and male and female infertility: A population‐based study
Author(s) -
Tzur Bitan Dana,
Kridin Khalaf,
Hodak Emmilia,
Cohen Ar,
Sherman Shany
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/ajd.13529
Subject(s) - hidradenitis suppurativa , medicine , infertility , population , fertility , male infertility , female infertility , gynecology , endocrine system , demography , pregnancy , disease , hormone , environmental health , sociology , biology , genetics
Background Endocrine and metabolic associations have been recently reported in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS); however, fertility was only rarely investigated in women and not at all in men. Objective To evaluate the association of HS with male and female infertility. Methods A cross‐sectional, matched controlled, population‐based study was designed. The association between HS and male and female infertility was evaluated in patients with HS ( n = 4191) and age‐ and gender‐matched controls ( n = 20 941), while utilising the Clalit Health Services databases, the largest community‐based health maintenance organisation in Israel. Results Hidradenitis suppurativa was associated with infertility in males and females over all reproductive‐age groups, especially among individuals aged 36–45 years (OR 4.50, 95%CI 2.55–7.93, P < 0.001), and in female patients (OR 3.10, 95%CI 2.57–3.74, P < 0.001). After adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, the association remained significant only in females (OR 1.26 95%CI 1.04–1.55, P < 0.05). Conclusion Patients with HS are at increased risk of infertility, particularly females and patients in the 36‐ to 45‐year age group. Physicians should take the additional physiological and psychological burden of infertility among HS patients into account, primarily among female patients at procreative age.