Improved disease awareness can be addressed through continuing medical education for physicians and development of educational materials for patients, in addition to greater utilization of social networks. Moreover, the development of integrated treatment centres was considered a worthwhile goal, and would offer patients the possibility to receive multidisciplinary care, ideally with dermatologists coordinating treatment, along with surgeons, psychologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, pain specialists, gynaecologists and paediatricians as needed. Lastly, standardized management protocols for HS are also needed.

Background/Aim: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin disease with a heavy impact on patients’ quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate in detail the QoL impact of HS comparing it with other skin conditions, and in particular with psoriasis. Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of HS were recruited. QoL was measured using the Skindex-17 questionnaire. Results: Data were available for 69 HS patients. HS had the worst QoL among several skin conditions. Compared to psoriasis the mean symptom score was 69.4 versus 53.7, and the mean psychosocial score was 56.1 versus 32.7. Overall, the scores of patients with HS were higher than those of psoriasis patients on 16 of the 17 items of the Skindex-17. Conclusions: When compared to many different skin conditions, and in particular to psoriasis, HS was the most impairing condition, even at low levels of clinical severity.

this study has evidenced a disparity in performing instrumental diagnosis between COPD and HF groups that persists when both conditions coexist. Moreover, the pharmacological treatment of the two conditions shows a consistent under treatment with bronchodilators in COPD patients and with β-blockers in HF patients.

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SummaryHidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic debilitating inflammatory disease, affecting very sensitive areas, such as genitalia, axillae, and groins of mostly young people, with a female predilection. Signs and symptoms are devastating for patients' quality of life, joined with a history of diagnostic delay, and hidden sufferance even to close relatives. The disease has gained an increasing interest, with the proposal of new efficacious medical treatment. Besides, cosmetic skin care is somewhat uncover. To challenge patients' own perspective, the proposal of a survey to the main Italian Association, named Inversa Onlus, pointed out a free access question naire, published on the website. One hundred fifteen patients listed the major causes of daily activities limitation from a cosmetic point of view, selecting six items: affected skin appearance; scars appearance; smell; perspiration; epilation; blemish dresses. A 5 points scale expressed the level of disturbance, and the most rated features resulted: skin overall appearance, followed by scars, dirty spots on dress and problems related to depilation, while lesions smell and perspiration problems were judged less important. Asking patients unveiled that physicians should also take care of main accessory, cosmetically oriented daily needs, suggesting dedicated lines of products to improve skin appearance, and social acceptability.