Demographic and clinical features of hidradenitis suppurativa in Korea

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disorder. Although several epidemiological studies have been conducted in Western countries, such data regarding Asian populations are scarce. In this study, we sought to investigate the demographic and clinical features of HS in Korea. A total of 438 patients, diagnosed with HS from May 2007 to April 2017, were enrolled and the electronic medical record of each patient was reviewed. Male patients were predominant with a male : female ratio of 2.5:1. Mean age of disease onset was 23.9 years and most patients had no family history. The most frequently affected area was the buttocks, followed by axillae and groin. Acne and diabetes mellitus were the most prevalent associated diseases and no patients with inflammatory bowel diseases were observed. In the univariable analysis, male patients had severe diseases compared with females with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.790. Two or more affected body regions were associated with HS severity with an OR of 1.693. While involvement of the perineum (OR, 4.067) and buttocks (OR, 1.471) tended to be associated with increased severity of the disease, the inguinal area (OR, 0.620) showed a tendency to be inversely associated with the severity. In multivariable analysis, identified risk factors were the involvement of the perineum (OR, 3.819) and buttocks (OR, 2.288). Smoking status and high body mass index seemed to be associated with more severe diseases. Our results will provide clinical characteristics of HS patients in Asia and help to broaden understanding of HS.

The epidemiology of hidradenitis suppurativa*

“…In European and North American populations, HS has a clear female preponderance, with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 3 : 1Á 8,10,15 The reverse was found in South Korea, with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 1 : 2Á 11,16 Prevalence is highest in the fourth and fifth decades of life. 8,10,15 Onset of HS typically occurs in young adulthood, with a new diagnosis being most common in people aged 18-29 years of age in the USA.…”

Prevalence and cutaneous comorbidities of hidradenitis suppurativa in the German working population

“…However, it should be noted that, as mentioned above, most data on prevalence were obtained from the analysis of secondary data and, therefore, possible genderspecific differences, such as willingness to present oneself to a doctor, were not taken into account. Interestingly, a few smaller studies from the Asian region also showed an increased prevalence of HS in men [10,12,25].…”

Rethinking the female predominance in hidradenitis suppurativa

“…HS is thought to be less prevalent in Asian populations, with a paucity of data from this region. However, the number of studies on HS in Asian populations is increasing, with four published articles in year 2018. In particular, these studies originate from East/Southeast Asia.…”