Prevalence of Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, chronic, recurring, debilitating, inflammatory skin disease affecting the areas rich in apocrine glands, with typical lesions (abscesses, nodules, discharging sinuses, and scars) and distribution (intertriginous areas). The prevalence of HS varies across geographical locality with lower rates reported in Asia.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study, involving 500 consecutive healthy adults in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), was done from December 2022 to April 2023, to estimate the prevalence of HS in HKL, via a validated questionnaire. We included healthy hospital staff and those accompanying patients in the Department of Medicine. Consented participants would answer the screening questionnaire for HS, as well as the socio-demographic data questionnaire. The screened-positive participants were evaluated by a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis of HS and to take clinical photos.

Results: Ten participants were screened-positive for HS, but only 7 were confirmed cases. The prevalence of this study was 7/500 (1.4%). Majority had mild diseases (71% Hurley stage 1, 29% Hurley stage 2). HS was more prevalent among males (n = 4), lower education level (n = 4), and Chinese ethnicity (n = 3). There was no significant difference among the HS participants when compared to non-HS participants based on their age, gender, education level, income status, BMI, or smoking status (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: HS is a complex disease with multifactorial elements to consider in its pathogenesis. The availability for early detection of mild HS disease, via a validated screening questionnaire, may change the paradigm of management of HS in the future.