Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are inflammatory diseases that share common genetic susceptibility and immunologic features. However, the link between HS and IBD has been largely unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the association between HS and IBD. DATA SOURCES: A search of the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases yielded 397 relevant studies from inception to June 10, 2018. Two additional studies were supplied by one of the investigators. STUDY SELECTION: Case-control, cross-sectional, or cohort studies that examined the odds or risk of IBD in patients with HS were included. No geographic or language limitations were imposed. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the risk of bias of included studies. Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis were analyzed separately, and a random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) of IBD, Crohn disease, and ulcerative colitis in association with HS. RESULTS: Five case-control studies, 2 cross-sectional studies, and 1 cohort study with a total of 93 601 unique participants were included. The meta-analysis of case-control and cross-sectional studies showed significant associations of HS with Crohn disease (pooled OR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.46-3.08) and ulcerative colitis (pooled OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.25-1.82). Two case-control studies found significant association of HS with IBD (ORs, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.40-3.34] and 10.00 [95% CI, 1.94-51.50]). One cohort study found an increased risk of IBD in patients with HS (HR, 5.6; 95% CI not reported; P < .002). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The evidence to date supports an association of HS with IBD. These results suggest that consultation with gastroenterologists should be sought when patients with HS present with recurrent abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, bloody stool, and body weight loss.