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The following is a summary of “Questionnaire-Based Global Prevalence of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in the December 2024 issue of Dermatology by Zahid et al.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin disease with varying prevalence rates, particularly due to differences in screening methods and missing data from the Global South, highlighting the need for further research.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to estimate global HS prevalence using studies with homogeneous, validated questions.
They observed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL on August 9, 2023. Original studies assessing HS prevalence in adults using 2 specific questions were included: “Do you have recurrent boils of the skin?” and “Have you had 2 or more boils/abscesses in the past 6 months in locations like the axilla, groin, genitals, buttocks, or other areas?” A pooled prevalence with a 95% CI was calculated using a random-effects model.
The results showed that 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, with prevalence estimates ranging from 0.7% to 6.4%. The meta-analysis, which included 49,971 participants, revealed a global HS prevalence of 2.5% (95% CI, 1.8–3.5%).
Investigators concluded that using a validated questionnaire suggests a global HS prevalence of 2.5%, although this estimate should be interpreted cautiously due to heterogeneity and limited data from the Global South.
Source: karger.com/drm/article/doi/10.1159/000537920/918463/Questionnaire-Based-Global-Prevalence-of
