Clinical-Epidemiological Profile of Patients Diagnosed with Hidradenitis Supurativa: Investigation in an Outpatient Clinic

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 1% of the population, causing significant morbidity and impaired quality of life.
Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study with exploratory analysis; performed based on medical records. Non-probabilistic sample, for convenience.
Results: 75 patients were included, with a predominance of women (78.7%), white skin color (86.7%), with a mean age of 33 years. There was an average delay of 8.68 years between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis. The inflammatory clinical subtype predominated, with more frequent involvement in the armpits (80%), followed by inguinal region (68%). Most patients had a Hurley score of II (II and III: 79.4%), with an average IHS4 of 12.
Discussion: We have a classic clinical profile, with a predominance of middle- aged women, with an important relationship with overweight/ obesity and smoking.
Conclusions: In view of the average delay for the correct diagnosis, linked to the fact that the average score points to a severe disease (IHS4>11), HS remains an unattended disease. Greater awareness and greater understanding of the disease are needed at all levels of health care, with a view to establishing effective treatment strategies in phases of less accumulated damage caused by the disease.

Keywords: Hidradenitis; hidradenitis suppurativa; inflammation; immunity; autoimmunity; tumor necrosis factor alpha; adalimumab