Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the formation of nodules, abscesses, and fistulae at intertriginous sites. Pain, pruritus, malodor, and suppuration have a significant impact on quality of life for HS patients. Prevalence figures vary greatly in the literature from 0.05% to 4.1%, and HS is more common in females. The current understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of HS is incomplete; numerous hypotheses concern the interplay of lifestyle factors, skin microbiota, genetics, and a dysregulated immune system. Due to its phenotypic heterogeneity and multifactorial pathogenesis, HS is a complex disease that can prove challenging to manage. Two approved biologic therapies for the management of HS have led to clinical response in approximately 50% of treated patients. New therapies targeting the interleukin (IL)-1, IL-17, IL-36, and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathways are in ongoing clinical trials, and preliminary data offer hope for greater clinical efficacy in HS in the future.