Antibiotic Treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa in France: A Practice Survey

Antibiotics are used for hidradenitis suppurativa's management with limited evidence. Choice of antibiotics is based on small randomized controlled trial or open case-series.

We performed a practice survey in Resoverneuil, a French network of physicians treating hidradenitis suppurativa, to identify the antibiotic strategy according to the Hurley stage. Online questionnaire was sent to all members of ResoVerneuil between January and February 2021.

In total, 108 physicians answered the survey: 37.6% were hospital based, 34.6% had a private practice and 27.8% a mixed practice, and 13.8% had a dedicated consultation for hidradenitis suppurativa. Sixty-three physicians reported seeing fewer than 5 patients with hidradenitis suppurativa per month; 29 seeing 5 to 15 patients per month; and 9 seeing more than 15 patients per month. More than 90% declared prescribing antibiotics for flares in Hurley 1 and 2 stages, and 83% in Hurley 3 stages, mostly amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and pristinamycin. Of these physicians, 29.7% declared prescribing a background antibiotic therapy for Hurley 1 stage with less than 4 flares per year, and more than 75% for Hurley 1 stage with more than 4 flares per year, Hurley 2 and Hurley 3 stages; mostly cyclins, combination of rifampicin and clindamycin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim.

This survey underlines the heterogeneity in antibiotic prescription for hidradenitis suppurativa in France, particularly as background therapy.