Hidradenitis suppurativa responding to treatment with infliximab

A series of four cases of severe recalcitrant hidradenitis suppurativa treated with infliximab is presented. All patients had failed to respond to prior medical and surgical management. Baseline Quantiferon-TB Gold and chest radiograph were carried out before commencement of treatment. No patients had associated Crohn's disease. All patients received induction infusions of infliximab 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2 and 6, followed by eight weekly maintenance infusions. The total number of infusions varied between 4 and 6. Skin photography with Sartorius scoring was used to evaluate response to treatment. All patients experienced marked improvement in their disease activity, with a mean 48% improvement in Sartorius score after one infusion (week 2, P < 0.01), and 70% improvement after three infusions (week 14, P < 0.01). Time to relapse following cessation of therapy ranged from 6 weeks to 4 months. Further studies examining the efficacy of infliximab and its effect on the course of the disease, particularly relating to long-term management, are required.