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Laboratory Parameters Can Serve as Objective Auxiliary Tools for Assessing Disease Severity in Hidradenitis
Chao Wu1, Yong-Jun Wang1, Tie-Jun Liu2
1Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disorder. Laboratory parameters may serve as an assessment tool, providing a potential objective window into disease activity.
Objective:
To systematically evaluate the utility of commonly obtained laboratory parameters in the objective assessment of disease severity in patients with HS.
Methods:
This single-center retrospective study included patients who were clinically diagnosed with HS, acne inversa, or follicular occlusion triad at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025. Study data were extracted from clinical examination records and corresponding laboratory test results. Ordinal logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate the associations between laboratory parameters and Hurley stages. Heterogeneity analyses were performed to assess the consistency of these associations across anatomical regions.
Results:
The study included 1750 clinical visits from 583 HS patients, with a male predominance (85.7%) and a mean age of 31.15±12.11 years. By systematically comparing laboratory parameters across Hurley stages, this study identified significant differences in ten markers, including white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil ratio (NEU%), platelet (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), hemoglobin (Hb), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Ordinal logistic regression analyses demonstrated that WBC, NEU%, PLT, PCT, platelet distribution width (PDW), GGT, ESR, and hsCRP were significantly and positively associated with increasing Hurley stage, while Hb, MPV, and HDL-C exhibited inverse associations. Heterogeneity analysis found that systemic inflammation-related markers (WBC, PDW, ESR, and hsCRP) demonstrated highly consistent associations with HS severity across anatomical locations, while metabolic parameters (HDL-C, triglycerides (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) exhibited significant site-specific heterogeneity.
Conclusion:
This study supports the use of readily available laboratory markers as an objective adjunct to conventional clinical severity assessments, while highlighting the anatomical specificity of HS pathophysiology.
