Disease Burden and Treatment Patterns in Patients With Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Concomitant Arthritis: A...

The relationship between hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and arthritis is well-established; however, the impact of their combined disease burden and the associated treatment pattern has not been determined yet. This study aimed to assess disease burden and therapeutic approaches in HS patients with and without arthritis and estimate arthritis prevalence and subtypes.

A multicenter, retrospective, case-control study of 272 adults (69 with HS and arthritis; 203 with HS only), drawn from a hospital-based cohort of 3644 HS patients across 10 Spanish centers. Controls were matched 1:3 by sex, age, and HS duration. Statistical analysis included non-parametric tests, logistic regression, and linear mixed-effects models adjusted for confounders.

HS patients with arthritis had higher rates of immune-mediated diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (odds ratio [OR] 9.44, p < 0.0001) and psoriasis (OR 2.99, p = 0.0038), higher Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores (6.30 vs. 4.03, p = 0.031), more dermatology visits (7.00 vs. 5.00, p = 0.0077), and greater biologic therapy use (72.07% vs. 39.90%, p < 0.0001). The prevalence of arthritis among HS patients was 1.70% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00%-2.70%), with spondyloarthritis being the most common subtype (66.6%).

HS patients with arthritis have a greater disease burden and higher biologic therapy utilization, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary care and optimizing resources.