Prurigo Nodularis Associated With GI and Hepatobiliary Diseases in Adults

Prurigo nodularis (PN) was found to have significant associations with various gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatobiliary disorders, according to study results presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), held from March 25 to 29, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Researchers performed a nationwide analysis of the US inpatient population to evaluate associations between PN and both GI and hepatobiliary diseases. The researchers also sought to calculate the cost burden associated with PN in patients hospitalized with any GI or hepatobiliary disease.

Using data from the 2016-2018 National Inpatient Sample, researchers examined hospitalizations for 20 GI and hepatobiliary diseases among patients aged 18 years and older who had PN. The researchers conducted multivariable logistic regression to test for associations and analyzed the length of stay and cost of care for an autoimmune disorder related to PN among patients hospitalized with GI or hepatobiliary disease.

Of an estimated 90,874,746 total hospitalizations, 4815 hospitalizations were patients with a diagnosis of PN. The researchers found that the prevalence of a GI or hepatobiliary disease was higher among adults with PN (36.9%; 95% CI, 33.9%-40.0%) compared with those without PN (27.7%; 95% CI, 27.5%-27.9%).

In a multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, race, and insurance type, PN was found to be associated with having any GI or hepatobiliary disease (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.68; 95% CI, 1.46-1.92). PN was associated with 11 of the 20 GI or hepatobiliary diseases included in the study. The strongest associations were observed between PN and primary biliary cirrhosis (aOR, 17.4, 95% CI, 6.1-49.8) and between PN and toxic liver disease (aOR, 7.94; 95% CI, 2.6-24.8).

The researchers also found that among patients hospitalized with any GI or hepatobiliary disease, those with PN vs those without PN had a greater mean cost of care ($17,591 vs $14,813; P =.007) and longer mean length of stay (6.95 days vs 5.27 days; P <.001).

“PN has significant associations with several GI and hepatobiliary disorders,” the study authors wrote. “Patients with any comorbid GI and hepatobiliary disease have increased health care utilization in an inpatient setting.”

Disclosure: One study author declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures. 

Reference

Adawi W, Sutaria N, Parthasarathy V, et al. Association between prurigo nodularis and gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases in adults: A national cross-sectional study. Presented at: the 2022 AAD Annual Meeting; March 25-29, 2022. Poster 35351