Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Helicis: Association With Higher Risk of Multimorbidity and Mortality in Middle-Aged Individuals and Implications for Prevention. An Observational Multicenter, Retrospective, Case-Control Investigation in Northern Spain
Keywords:
chondrodermatis nodularis, mortality, survival, comorbidities, multimorbidity.Abstract
Introduction: The association of chondrodermatitis nodularis (CN) with diseases of vascular injury, tobacco smoking, and diabetes mellitus has been separately reported in patients with an early onset of lesions.
Objectives: We aimed to expand and deepen previous studies and to investigate 8 comorbidities and survival rates in patients with premature CN lesions (<61 years).
Methods: This retrospective, multicenter, case-control, observational study was restricted to individuals with a diagnosis before 61 years, according to our preliminary unpublished investigations (and further categorized as having a diagnosis before 46 years or in the range 46 to < 61 years). We evaluated frequency of cancer; chronic obstructive lung disease; severe liver disease; diabetes mellitus; HIV infection; arterial disease; hypertension; dyslipidemia; multimorbidity; tobacco smoking, and survival rates. Statistical analysis included univariate analysis (including Holm-Bonferroni test), Kaplan-Meier plot estimation with log-rank test, and multivariate Cox analysis.
Results: Patients with a diagnosis of CN in the age range of 46 to <61 years had a greater multimorbidity (Holm-Bonferroni test, p = 0.00007 < 0.00122) ), leading to higher mortality than controls (log rank test, p = 0.006); multivariate Cox analysis: adjusted HR: 2.75; CI 1.36-5.54 ; p= 0.005.
Conclusions: In this observational, epidemiological study, middle-aged patients (46-61 years) with CN lesions had an association with multimorbidity leading to higher mortality than controls. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm these worrying findings. Meanwhile, reassuring these patients by insisting on the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle can always have preventive value.
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