The symptomatology of hidradenitis suppurativa in women

Abstract

In order to establish the possible role of androgen in the development of hidradenitis suppurativa the symptomatology of the disease was studied in a group of 70 female patients. The results were compared with those obtained from an age-matched control group of healthy women. The incidence of women with signs of androgenization in the two groups did not differ significantly. The only significant differences found were a shorter menstrual cycle and a longer duration of menstrual flow in the women suffering from hidradenitis, and that women with hidradenitis were more likely to have a positive family history of hidradenitis. The prevalence of hidradenitis in the control group was 4%. The results show that hidradenitis is not accompanied by other signs of androgenization. The disease may be due to local changes in the apocrine glands of predisposed individuals.