Clinical Features and Patient Outcomes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

Whan B Kim; R Gary Sibbald; Howard Hu; Morteza Bashash; Niloofar Anooshirvani; Patricia Coutts; Afsaneh Alavi

doi:10.1177/1203475415602840

Clinical Features and Patient Outcomes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

J Cutan Med Surg. 2016 Jan;20(1):52-7. doi: 10.1177/1203475415602840. Epub 2015 Aug 28.

Authors

Whan B Kim¹, R Gary Sibbald², Howard Hu³, Morteza Bashash³, Niloofar Anooshirvani⁴, Patricia Coutts⁵, Afsaneh Alavi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
² Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Wound Healing Clinic, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland.
⁵ Wound Healing Clinic, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
⁶ Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada afsaneh.alavi@mail.utoronto.ca.

PMID: 26318545
DOI: 10.1177/1203475415602840

Abstract

Background: Despite the high burden of disease associated with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), epidemiologic data are scarce.

Objective: The objective was to review demographic features and clinical findings in 80 HS patients from 2 referral centres in Ontario, Canada, from October 2013 to September 2014, and to assess for factors that are associated with more advanced disease.

Methods: Multicentre cross-sectional study. The data on demographic and clinical features were obtained by questionnaires and chart review.

Results: Of a total of 80 patients (67.5% females), percentages of patients in Hurley stages I, II, and III were 15.4%, 55.8%, and 28.9%, respectively. Most patients were not diagnosed for more than 1 year (70.1%). Patients with more severe disease were more likely to be females and to have a greater number of lesions and were less likely to be diagnosed initially by a dermatologist.

Conclusions: This study documents the common demographic and clinical features of HS to optimize resource allocation and patient outcomes.

Keywords: Canada; acne inversa; demographic; epidemiology; hidradenitis suppurativa.

Publication types

Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Hidradenitis Suppurativa / diagnosis
Hidradenitis Suppurativa / epidemiology*
Humans
Male
Ontario / epidemiology
Retrospective Studies