Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Treatments
Research Guide

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), also known as Acne Inversa, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting hair follicles in apocrine gland areas like axillae and groin. It manifests after puberty with painful, deep-seated inflamed lesions, suppuration, and scarring. Jemec (2012) describes recurrent boils with premenstrual flares, draining tracts, and odor.

The "European S1 guideline for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa" (Zouboulis et al., 2015) outlines treatments tailored to disease severity, including topical therapies, antibiotics, and biologics. Adalimumab, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, is effective for moderate-to-severe cases. Kimball et al. (2016) reported higher response rates with weekly 40 mg adalimumab versus placebo at 12 weeks.

Two phase 3 trials demonstrated adalimumab (40 mg weekly) produced significantly higher clinical response rates than placebo at 12 weeks in HS patients. Serious adverse event rates were similar between groups (Kimball et al., 2016). This supports its use in moderate-to-severe disease.

Revuz et al. (2008) found associations with prevalence factors in two case-control studies. HS links to metabolic syndrome and genetic susceptibility per cluster description. Lesions occur in apocrine areas post-puberty (Zouboulis et al., 2015).

"Hidradenitis suppurativa: A comprehensive review" (Alikhan et al., 2009) details inflammatory pathways in hair follicle occlusion. It involves recurrent inflammation in apocrine-bearing skin. Cluster keywords highlight TNF-alpha, IL-17, and Notch signaling roles.

HS causes pain, suppuration, scarring, sinus tracts, and reduced quality of life. Jemec (2012) notes chronic draining tracts amid normal skin in groin and axillae. Guidelines address debilitating impacts (Zouboulis et al., 2015).