Hidradenitis suppurativa: clinical features, comorbidities and quality of life in Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that manifests in the form of painful and recurrent and suppurating lesions. In Colombia, there is little epidemiological information on this pathology. This study aims to describe the severity of symptoms, sociodemographic factors and quality of life of HS patients in Colombia.  Material and Methods: This is an exploratory, multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study conducted in 8 dermatology centers in Colombia.  Results: Several parameters were collected from 90 patients: 23.3% of the patients were classified as Hurley stage I, 42.2% as stage II, and 34.4% as stage III. Patients classified within Hurley's stage III severity had the highest mean BMI (30.2 kg/m2). The mean time elapsed from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 64.6 months and the mean to the start of treatment from diagnosis was 1.7 months. Comorbidities were frequent, with obesity being the most common (38.9%). Regarding quality of life, a statistically significant difference was found in the DLQI from Hurley’s severity index (p-value=0.0056), in the utility index relative to the Hurley severity index (p-value=0.011) and in the EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale (EQ-5D-5L-VAS; p-value=0.001).  Conclusions: As in all other countries, in Colombia, patients with hidradenitis suppurativa require early and appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This study can be used to help physicians gain a better understanding of the disease, which could lead to better patient management.