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Review
. 2025 Mar;26(2):175-182.
doi: 10.1007/s40257-024-00911-x. Epub 2024 Dec 18.

Obesity in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Are GLP-1 Receptor Agonists the New Frontier?

Jennifer Strong  1 , Marcia S Driscoll  2
Affiliations
Review

Obesity in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Are GLP-1 Receptor Agonists the New Frontier?

Jennifer Strong et al. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflammatory skin disorder presenting with painful and draining nodules in intertriginous areas that may progress to sinus tracts. There is an increased prevalence of obesity in HS, and obesity may predispose patients to HS. Weight loss has been associated with improvement of HS symptoms. However, weight loss through diet modification, exercise or bariatric surgery has mixed results. Recently, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been investigated for weight loss in HS. These drugs are effective for weight loss and reduce weight-related comorbidities, with few significant side effects. Early studies of liraglutide and semaglutide in HS have demonstrated improvement in disease severity and quality of life. GLP-1 receptor agonists are a promising therapy for patients with HS and may improve symptoms through decreased mechanical stress and moderation of inflammation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Funding: No funding was received for the preparation of this manuscript. Conflict of interest: The authors have no competing interests to report. Consent: Consent was not required for this review. Ethics: No ethics approval was required for this study. Availability of data and materials: Not applicable. Code availability: Not applicable Author contributions: All authors contributed to the literature review, preparation of the manuscript and review of the final manuscript.

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