Acta dermato-venereologica
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Hidradenitis suppurativa is a recurrent, debilitating suppurative skin disease. The symptoms are much more than just physical, but studies of its impact on patients' psychological state and related quality of life are very limited. The current study was conducted with a group of 54 patients, aged 16-65 years, who had an active, but stable, course of hidradenitis suppurativa. ⋯ The results highlight the important impact of hidradenitis suppurativa on a wide spectrum of psychophysical aspects and impairment of related quality of life among patients. Our findings indicate that advancement of the disease seems to be the most important factor negatively influencing patients' well-being (p < 0.01). It is noteworthy that an anogenital location appears to impair the hidradenitis suppurativa patients' quality of life most of all (p < 0.05), but the occurrence of lesions on uncovered skin plays a crucial role in the stigmatization level (p < 0.05).