Fabbrocini G, Ruina G, Giovanardi G, et al. - This multicenter, prospective, epidemiologic cohort study sheds light on the disease burden of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), chronic, inflammatory, recurrent, debilitating skin disease of the hair follicle, in an Italian population. The findings highlight the importance of quality of life (QoL) assessment in clinical practice, as well as the use of the HIDRAdisk [an innovative visual tool to assess the burden of HS], as a supplement to validated severity clinical and instrumental indexes for a “360-degree” assessment of the burden of disease in HS patients.

• In total, 308 adult Italian patients with HS (56.2% women; mean age 35.2 ± 12.9 years) were registered in 27 dermatologic clinics.

• HS severity was evaluated via Hurley stage and HS Physician’s Global Assessment (HS-PGA), clinical improvement by HS Clinical Response (HiSCR) and partial response, and disease burden through the quality of life questionnaires (HIDRAdisk, Skindex-16, Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment – General Health (WPAI:GH).

• Men were older, more addicted to smoking, and drank more alcohol, whereas women were more obese.

• At baseline, the majority of patients had a Hurley severity stage of 2 (43.9%), a moderate HS-PGA score (57.1%), and poor quality of life (HIDRAdisk: 65.7 ± 23.3, Skindex-16: 60.3 ± 26.9, and DLQI: 10.8 ± 8.1).

• Patients with more severe diseases had a lower quality of life.

• During the study period, mean values for variables related to HS severity decreased.

• During the study, HiSCR and partial response rates increased.