Increased disease burden observed in hidradenitis suppurativa patients with arthritis: Study
A new study published in the International Journal of Dermatology showed that the individuals with concomitant arthritis had a much greater hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) burden when compared to patients with HS alone.
The patients with HS who also have inflammatory arthritis face an increased burden: persistent pain, stiff joints, decreased mobility, disability, disturbed sleep, and severe psychological anguish. Many patients are either undertreated or intolerant of the available options, despite the fact that therapeutic approaches are diverse and frequently derived from single-disease guidelines. These approaches range from biologics and surgical interventions to antibiotics and hormonal therapies. Therefore, to maximize results, coordinated multidisciplinary therapy that incorporates dermatology, rheumatology, pain management, and rehabilitation is crucial.
Designing focused therapies that lower morbidity and enhance function and quality of life requires an understanding of the cumulative illness load in this subgroup as well as real-world treatment patterns. In addition to estimating the prevalence and subtypes of arthritis, this study evaluated the disease burden and treatment strategies in HS patients with and without arthritis.
A total of 272 people (69 with HS and arthritis and 203 with HS alone) from a hospital-based cohort of 3644 HS patients spread across 10 Spanish facilities participated in this multicenter, retrospective, case-control research. The controls were matched 1:3 based on age, sex, and length of high school.
Immune-mediated diseases such as psoriasis (OR 2.99, p = 0.0038) and inflammatory bowel disease (odds ratio [OR] 9.44, p < 0.0001) were more common in HS patients with arthritis, as were higher Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores (6.30 vs. 4.03, p = 0.031), more dermatology visits (7.00 vs. 5.0077), and a higher use of biologic therapy (72.07% vs. 39.90%, p < 0.0001).
1.70% of HS patients had arthritis (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00%–2.70%), with spondyloarthritis being the most prevalent kind (66.6%). Overall, the need for multidisciplinary treatment and resource optimization is highlighted by the increased disease load and use of biologic therapy among HS patients with arthritis.
Source:
Garbayo-Salmons, P., Molina-Leyva, A., Porta-Vilaró, A., Soto-Moreno, A., Fornons-Servent, R., Gamissans, M., Garcias-Ladaria, J., Gracia-Darder, I., Martin-Ezquerra, G., Verdaguer-Faja, J., Mora-Fernández, V., Aguayo-Ortiz, R. S., Vilarrasa, E., Masferrer, E., Corral-Magaña, O., Galvany, L., Rodrigo-Parés, A., Saus, E., Moreno, M., … Calvet, J. (2025). Disease burden and treatment patterns in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa and concomitant arthritis: A multicenter case-control study. International Journal of Dermatology, ijd.70125. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.70125
