Individuals living in the most affluent areas of the United Kingdom seem to have an increased incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), according to a study published in the August issue of BMJ Open.

Meena Rafiq, M.B.Ch.B., from University College London, and colleagues analyzed data on 10 million individuals in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2016 to identify trends and high-risk populations.

The researchers identified 2,402 new cases of HL during 78,569,436 person-years. Significant variation was seen in HL incidence by deprivation group. Compared with those individuals living in the most deprived areas, those in the most affluent areas had a significantly higher HL incidence (incidence rate ratio, 1.60), with strong evidence of a linear trend toward increasing HL incidence with decreasing deprivation. Across the United Kingdom, there was significant regional variation in HL incidence, which persisted after adjustment for age, sex, and deprivation (incidence rate ratio, 0.80 to 1.42).

"The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that an affluent childhood environment may predispose to development of immune-related conditions, possibly through fewer immune challenges interfering with the maturation of the immune system," the authors write.

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