key: cord-1012467-hhhak24l
authors: Lima, X.T.; Cueva, M.A.; Alora, M.B.
title: COVID‐19 in hidradenitis suppurativa patients
date: 2020-08-16
journal: Br J Dermatol
DOI: 10.1111/bjd.19492
sha: 656ebf4e06e0c92422053f5b45fbf77fb30f37af
doc_id: 1012467
cord_uid: hhhak24l

Information on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and COVID is scarce. HS is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease associated with comorbidities known to affect negatively COVID outcomes, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, smoking and cardiovascular disease.

were obese. Around a third of them had diabetes, hypertension and/or were past or current smokers.

There were 25.6%, 43.6%, 23.1% and 7.7% patients with 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more anatomical sites involved, respectively. Patients had involvement of two sites, on average. Majority of the patients were not on any current systemic treatment for HS when COVID was diagnosed. These patients had been treated with topical antibiotics or steroids, intralesional steroids, incision and drainage and/or local surgery, as well as prior courses of systemic antibiotics that had been discontinued before diagnosis of COVID-19.

In terms of hospitalization, we found that more males needed hospitalization. The proportions of patients within each race/ethnicity requiring hospitalization were not significantly different: 16.7% There has been some debate on whether patients with HS would have increased risk of severe COVID, because of an overlap between comorbidities associated with HS and prognostic factors of COVID-19. 2 An international registry has been developed as an attempt to collect more comprehensive data on HS severity, therapy and COVID-19 outcomes. 3 There has been also concern on potential racial disparities affecting COVID outcomes. 2, 4 In our sample, as expected, we had increased proportion of patients of African-American or Hispanic race/ethnicity, however these

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved patients did not have increased risk of hospitalization. The only patient that died during our study was of older age, in addition to other known risk factors for severe COVID. 5 One Spanish study reported detailed data on eight patients with HS and suspected COVID-19, including two patients on biologic therapies. None of them was hospitalized or had poor COVID outcomes. 6 An Italian survey of 96 HS patients by mail or phone call and did not detect COVIDrelated deaths or hospitalization. 7 Although the risk factors for poor COVID outcomes such as diabetes and hypertension were more common among our patients, we feel that belonging to a younger age group protected HS patients from a severe COVID outcome. Additional studies are required to confirm this finding. 

Dr. Lima serves on the speakers' bureau for Abbvie.

Mary Cueva has no relevant conflicts of interest.

Dr. Alora has been an investigator for Abbvie, Janssen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Inc., Novartis. 

Experience in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa and COVID-19 symptoms

Exploring the risk of severe COVID-19 infection in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa

Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa COVID-19 Registry: a registry to inform data-driven management practices

COVID-19 and racial disparities

Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study

Experience in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa and COVID-19 symptoms

Moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa under systemic therapy during the COVID-19 outbreak