Pathophysiology of hidradenitis suppurativa

The etiology of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is not fully described, in spite of the considerable morbidity associated with the disease. Patients with HS are often under the care of many different specialties such as general practice, dermatology or surgery due to its previous status as an orphan disease. Epidemiologically HS is associated with positive family history, female sex, smoking and increased body mass index (BMI), and clinically the presence of bacteria and altered immune responses have been suggested as possible etiologies [1, 2].