Quality of Life in Pediatric Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) in children and adolescents is underrecognized and understudied, despite its significant impact during a critical period of identity formation and psychosocial development. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 18 pediatric HS patients at a safety-net hospital, assessing quality of life (QoL) burden using three instruments: (1) the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) for depression screening, (2) the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI), and (3) a pediatric-adapted version of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life Score (HiSQOL-Adolescent). While QoL impairment generally correlated with disease severity, some patients with early-stage disease (Hurley Stage I) screened positive for depression and reported the highest QoL burden, highlighting that clinical severity may not fully capture the lived experience of patients. These findings support the need for psychosocial screening and holistic care in pediatric HS.