Demographic and Clinical Features and Factors Affecting the Quality of Life of Patients With Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with well-known adverse effects on quality of life (QoL). Improving patients' QoL has become an important objective of treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics and factors affecting the QoL of patients with HS. One hundred seventy-six patients with HS aged between 18 and 65 years were included in the study. The patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, treatments, and comorbidities were recorded. The disease stage was determined based on the Hurley staging system. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was used to evaluate QoL. Mean DLQI scores were significantly higher in patients with advanced Hurley stages, lesions in the gluteal region and legs, and with more than 2 affected areas (p < .001). Correlations between patient-reported treatment outcomes and clinical characteristics of the patients were assessed. Findings of this study indicate the existence of a potential "window of opportunity" for laser epilation and wide local surgical excision, similar to anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy. Timely and appropriate treatment can only be provided for patients with HS by evaluating objective disease severity measures and subjective patient data in combination.