Expert consensus on unmet needs, referral criteria and treatment goals for hidradenitis suppurativa in Saudi Arabia.

Purpose: There is limited information about the diagnosis and treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This Delphi consensus study was conducted to develop recommendations for the management of HS in the KSA.Methods: The expert panel including 12 dermatologists with extensive experience treating HS patients provided nine consensus statements and recommendations on diagnosis and assessment, management, comorbidities and multidisciplinary approach, and education. The experts also developed clinical questions pertaining to the management of HS and rolled out as a survey to 119 dermatologists practising in the KSA.Results: The topics covered included: referring physicians' awareness of HS; referral criteria for HS; definition of moderate-to-severe HS; treatment goals; definition of treatment success; treatment and biologic initiation; comorbidities and multidisciplinary approach; patient education and awareness of HS. Full consensus (100%) from the expert dermatologists was received on all the topics except referring physicians' awareness of HS, definition of treatment success, and treatment and biologic initiation. The survey results resonated with the expert opinion.Conclusion: As HS is a chronic disease with negative impact on quality-of-life, timely diagnosis and treatment, early identification of comorbid conditions and a multidisciplinary care approach are crucial for effective management of HS.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Incidence and Prevalence Rates Are Increasing: A Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with a heavy burden of morbidity and cost. OBJECTIVES: To provide standardized estimates of trends in HS incidence and prevalence among patients in Israel between 2016 and 2019. METHODS: We conducted a population-based analysis of routinely collected electronic health records data from Clalit Health Services, the largest nationwide public health service provider in Israel. Age- and sex-adjusted rates were reported by using the standard European population as a reference. RESULTS: The study included 3488 HS incident cases. The mean ± SD age of onset was 30.3 years and was similar in males and females. HS was more common among Jews with low and medium socioeconomic status. The annual HS incidence rate increased throughout the study period. HS prevalence increased from 0.12% in 2016 to 0.17% in 2019. CONCLUSIONS: HS prevalence and incidence rates steadily rose among the Israeli population between 2016 and 2019. Awareness of these findings can help provide an optimal allocation of healthcare resources by policymakers and health service providers and prevent delays in diagnosis.

Pyoderma gangrenosum, acne, and suppurative hidradenitis (PASH) syndrome: a single-institution case series with a focus on management.

BACKGROUND: Pyoderma gangrenosum, acne, and suppurative hidradenitis (PASH) syndrome is a rare condition characterized by clinical features of all three dermatologic conditions. The management of PASH syndrome is difficult, with no consensus on treatment guidelines. Since PASH syndrome can increase morbidity and adversely impact quality of life, better characterization of effective therapies is needed. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify all patients with pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) treated at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center between 2015 and 2021. PG diagnosis was confirmed via PARACELSUS score. Subsequent chart review identified eight patients with concomitant hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and acne who were clinically diagnosed with PASH syndrome. RESULTS: Eight patients were clinically diagnosed with PASH syndrome based on their clinical presentation at our institution. Seven patients had failed some type of medical therapy prior to presentation, including topical corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids, oral antibiotics, and biologics. One patient had also tried surgical drainage at an outside institution. Six patients were effectively treated with biologics, usually in combination with other therapies. One patient experienced improvement of her skin lesions after diagnosis and treatment of her underlying hematologic malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Medical management with biologics in combination with corticosteroids and/or antibiotics was effective in the management of most patients. Diagnosis and treatment of an underlying condition should be prioritized in refractory cases. If workup is negative, surgical management may be considered. Further investigation with a greater number of patients is required to develop management guidelines for PASH syndrome.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Found Associated With Cytokine Storm.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that generates multiple cytokines. Here, we present an example of the cytokines forming a cytokine storm and its effects on the patient. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 55-year-old man who had severe but stable HS. Serum samples were collected from the patient and extraordinarily elevated cytokine concentrations were identified in the patient's serum.  Conclusion: Cytokine storms may be a condition associated with HS posing additional risk to patient survival. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(5):e134-e136.     doi:10.36849/JDD.7860R1e.

Diagnostic delay in Hidradenitis suppurativa investigated using data from social media and from statutory health insurances.

BACKGROUND: The chronic inflammatory skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) leads to severe pain and reduced quality of life. Nonetheless, it often takes years until a correct diagnosis is made. In this analysis, disease-related experiences and pathways of patients with HS were investigated and compared with the physicians' perspective. METHODS: Public posts on forums and social media as well as results of a survey conducted among dermatologists and their patients on the actual medical care reality of HS in Germany were analysed. Furthermore, claims data from German health insurance companies were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with HS suffer from a 43.3% reduction in working ability. Dermatology (26.5%) was the most frequently consulted specialty, with HS diagnosed predominantly in the inpatient setting (43.8%). Abscesses were described as the most frequent alternative diagnosis in HS patients (53.2%). Patient-reported changes of physicians in dermatology (34.1%) and surgery (42.4%) occurred predominantly within the specialty. Dermatology received most referrals from general practitioners (67.1%), but only 12.1% from surgeons. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need to reduce the delay in diagnosis and the prolonged burden of disease in patients with HS. Therefore, awareness of the disease, its detection and treatment which goes beyond dermatology should be promoted, if possible as part of medical studies.

S2k guideline for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa / acne inversa - Short version.

The S2k guideline on hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa (HS/AI) aims to provide an accepted decision aid for the selection/implementation of appropriate/sufficient therapy. HS/AI is a chronic recurrent, inflammatory, potentially mutilating skin disease of the terminal hair follicle-glandular apparatus, with painful, inflammatory lesions in the apocrine gland-rich regions of the body. Its point prevalence in Germany is 0.3%, it is diagnosed with a delay of 10.0 ± 9.6 years. Abnormal differentiation of the keratinocytes of the hair follicle-gland apparatus and accompanying inflammation form the central pathogenetic basis. Primary HS/AI lesions are inflammatory nodules, abscesses and draining tunnels. Recurrences in the last 6 months with at least 2 lesions at the predilection sites point to HS/AI with a 97% accuracy. HS/AI patients suffer from a significant reduction in quality of life. For correct treatment decisions, classification and activity assessment should be done with a validated tool, such as the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Scoring System (IHS4). HS/AI is classified into two forms according to the degree of detectable inflammation: active, inflammatory (mild, moderate, and severe according to IHS4) and predominantly inactive, non-inflammatory (Hurley grade I, II and III) HS/AI. Oral tetracyclines or 5-day intravenous therapy with clindamycin are equal to the effectiveness of clindamycin/rifampicin. Subcutaneously administered adalimumab, secukinumab and bimekizumab are approved for the therapy of HS/AI. Various surgical procedures are available for the predominantly non-inflammatory disease form. Drug/surgical combinations are considered a holistic therapy method.

Management of Pilonidal Disease and Hidradenitis Suppurativa.

Pilonidal disease and hidradenitis suppurativa affect healthy young adults, causing discomfort and pain that leads to loss of work productivity and should be approached in a personalized manner. Patients with pilonidal disease should engage in hair removal to the sacrococcygeal region and surgical options considered. Hidradenitis suppurativa can be a morbid and challenging disease process. Medical management with topical agents, antibiotics, and biologics should be used initially but wide local excision should be considered in severe or refractory cases of the disease.

[Hidradenitis suppurativa]. / Hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin and systemic disease that is associated with considerable discomfort and a significant reduction in the quality of life. Despite a significantly increased understanding of the disease, the diagnosis is still delayed for many years. Delayed patient access to suitable treatment often leads to disease progression with increased surgical interventions and the occurrence of possible comorbidities. In recent years, there has been an improved understanding of the pathophysiology and, as a result the authorization of modern therapeutic agents for HS. The treatment of HS is based on three treatment pillars: surgery, antibiotics and biologics. Additionally, risk factors, such as smoking and obesity should be positively influenced. Knowledge of comorbidities and their interdisciplinary treatment is important for the individualized care of patients.

Hidradenitis suppurativa: a new, principle-centered paradigm for managing a dynamic disease.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating skin condition that disproportionately affects socioeconomically underserved patients. Currently, treatment outcomes for patients with HS remain poor, largely because of a deficiency in current guidelines on exactly how and when to employ the myriad treatment tools, resulting in heterogeneous care models and confusion. Aggressive medical therapy is often started too late, pursued for too long whilst delaying procedural intervention, or skipped over altogether for procedures. Here, we propose a new, principle-centered management paradigm for HS that emphasizes the need for prompt intervention to minimize suffering and an understanding of how sinus tract development dictates the timing of medical and procedural interventions.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Hidradenitis Suppurativa Discussed on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, chronic inflammatory skin disease that negatively affects patient quality of life, and conventional treatments are variably effective. As a result, patients often turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for pain relief. Social media enables HS patients to share treatment recommendations. TikTok is a popular social media platform, but little is known about the HS treatments discussed in TikTok videos.  Objective: To evaluate the content and quality of information on TikTok regarding CAM HS therapies.  Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted by performing a search in TikTok using the terms #hidradenitissuppurativa, #hswarrior, #naturalremedy, #complementarymedicine, #alternativemedicine, and #HStreatment. Two independent reviewers evaluated video quality using the DISCERN and AVA instruments. Linear regressions compared the engagement, DISCERN, and AVA scores among different uploader types. RESULTS: In total, 91 TikTok videos were analyzed. Videos were uploaded by non-physicians (82.4), dermatologists (6.6%), and private companies (11.0%). The average DISCERN and AVA scores were 36.2 and 1.6, respectively (poor quality). Common CAM therapies were natural salves, turmeric, Epsom salts, elimination diets, and zinc supplements. Physician-uploaded videos were of significantly higher quality than videos by other uploader types, with an average DISCERN and AVA score of 44.3 (P<0.009) and 2.6 (P<0.001), respectively (fair quality). CONCLUSION: TikTok videos were poor quality (low DISCERN and AVA scores); physician-uploaded videos were fair quality. Dermatologists can improve video quality by adequately discussing the supporting evidence, mechanisms of action, and remaining questions for HS treatments.  J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(3):e93-96. doi:10.36849/JDD.7738e.

The Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa Atlas Methodology: Combining Global Proportions in a Pooled Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Data concerning the global burden of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are limited. Reported prevalence estimates vary between 0.0003% and 4.1%, and data from various geographical regions are still to be collected. Previously reported prevalences have been limited by the methodological approach and source of data. This has resulted in great heterogeneity as prevalence data from physician-diagnosed cases poorly match those of self-reported apparent HS disease. METHODS: The Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa Atlas (GHiSA) introduces an innovative approach to determine the global prevalence of HS. This approach involves using a previously validated questionnaire to screen apparently healthy adults accompanying a patient to a non-dermatological outpatient clinic visit in a hospital or a private/family medicine clinic. The screening questionnaire (i.e., the index test) is combined with a subsequent physician-based in-person validation (i.e., the reference standard) of the participants who screen positive. Approximately ten percent of the screen-negative participants are also clinically assessed to verify the diagnostic precision of the test. The local prevalence (pi) will be estimated from each country that submits the number of patients who are HS positive according to the index test and clinical examination (n), and the corresponding total number of observations (N). CONCLUSION: The GHiSA Global Prevalence studies are currently running simultaneously in 58 countries across six continents (Africa, Europe, Australia, North America, South America, and Asia). The goal of the combined global proportion is the generation of a single summary (i.e., proportional meta-analysis), which will be done after a logit transformation and synthesized using a random-effects model. The novel standardization of the Global Prevalence Studies conducted through GHiSA enables direct international comparisons, which were previously not possible due to substantial heterogeneity in past HS prevalence studies.