BACKGROUND & PURPOSE
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (DCS) is a chronic, scarring inflammatory hair disease. It can be painful, disfiguring, and emotionally distressing. Similar inflammatory skin conditions such as hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriasis are linked to higher cardiovascular (CV) disease risk. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with DCS experience more cardiovascular problems than similar individuals without DCS.
METHODS
Researchers used the TriNetX global electronic-health-record database. They identified over 113,000 adults with DCS and matched them 1:1 to individuals without DCS based on age, sex, race, and key medical risk factors. They then compared how often major CV events occurred over time.
RESULTS
Patients with DCS had significantly higher rates of serious cardiovascular outcomes including myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism, venous thromboembolism, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. VTE showed the largest increased risk—about 64% higher in DCS compared to controls.
