Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Estimated Prevalence, Clinical Features, Concomitant Conditions, and Diagnostic Delay in a University Teaching Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic recurrent systemic inflammatory disease that mainly involves large skin folds. It develops when pilosebaceous units become blocked, leading to the formation of painful nodules, abscesses, fistulas, and scarring. The impact of this disease on quality of life is great.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence and clinical features of hidradenitis suppurativa in patients treated at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires and determine the frequency of comorbidities and time to diagnosis in this population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study. Information was extracted from the computerized clinical records of all patients with a diagnosis of hidradenitis suppurativa managed in Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires between July 2012 and October 2017.

RESULTS: Our initial search of the records yielded 180 cases; the diagnosis was confirmed in 66 cases. Sixty-five percent of the patients were women, and the mean age was 37 years. The prevalence of this diagnosis was 0.02%. The armpits, vulva, and groin were the locations most frequently affected. Smoking, overweight, and obesity were the most commonly recorded concomitant conditions. Male sex and perianal and gluteal locations were associated with severity. Time until diagnosis varied widely, ranging from diagnosis at the first visit in some cases to as long as 142 months and 21 visits.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with the literature on hidradenitis suppurativa. This is the first Argentinian study to describe the prevalence of this disease as well as the concomitant conditions found and the rate of diagnostic error.