Title Demographic data, risk factors, and disease burden of HS patients in Lithuania at a reference center /
Authors Raudonis, Tadas ; Šakaitytė, Austėja ; Vileikis, Tomas Petras ; Černel, Vitalij ; Gancevičienė, Rūta ; Zouboulis, Christos C
DOI 10.3390/healthcare12181849
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Is Part of Healthcare.. Basel : MDPI. 2024, vol. 12, iss. 18, art. no. 1849, p. [1-13].. ISSN 2227-9032
Keywords [eng] hidradenitis suppurativa ; demography ; risk factors ; cost of illness
Abstract [eng] Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) diagnosis often faces a global delay of 7.2 years due to factors like lack of recognition, stigma, and socioeconomic barriers. Limited effective therapies and frequent exacerbations impact patients’ quality of life, posing a significant burden on healthcare systems. Methods: HS patients were assessed according to European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation (EHSF) Registry questionnaire guidelines at various stages of the disease and treatment. Results: The study included 49 patients; 57.14% (n = 28) of them were male. The average age of the subjects was 39.91 ± 13.665 years; the average BMI was 27.84 ± 7.362. A total of 59.18% (n = 29) were active or previous smokers. There were statistically more male smokers than female (p < 0.01). Average disease onset was 25.71 ± 13.743 years; the mean time to diagnosis was 5.2 ± 7.607 years. A total of 70.2% (n = 33) were previously misdiagnosed. Subjects had 6.17 ± 6.98 painful days over the preceding 4 weeks. The average intensity of pain according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) was 5.60 ± 3.36 points. The mean dermatology life quality index (DLQI) at baseline was 8.9 ± 7.436. Conclusions: The research revealed delayed diagnoses, especially for females. Smoking was linked to higher Hurley stages, with a prevalence among male smokers, and HS had a substantial impact on patients’ quality of life.
Published Basel : MDPI
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2024
CC license CC license description