jcm-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Dermatology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026 | Viewed by 1628

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Division of Dermatology, Venereology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
2. Department of Dermatovenereology, 4th Military Hospital, Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: hidradenitis suppurativa; acne inversa; dermatology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin condition marked by painful nodules, abscesses, draining tunnels, and scarring in intertriginous areas. It significantly affects quality of life and psychosocial well-being. Despite growing awareness, HS is often underdiagnosed, frequently mismanaged, and shares a high prevalence of systemic comorbidities such as metabolic, cardiovascular, rheumatologic, and psychiatric disorders.

This Special Issue, “Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management”, aims to deliver a current, clinically focused overview of HS—from early detection and differential diagnosis to validated severity assessments and multidisciplinary long-term management. We invite original research and reviews that explore diagnostic challenges, disease heterogeneity, biomarkers, imaging, and patient-reported outcomes. Special focus should be on innovative medical and surgical treatments, optimizing biologic therapies, managing refractory disease, care transitions, and real-world data on effectiveness and safety across various patient groups.

Dr. Piotr K. Krajewski
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hidradenitis suppurativa
  • acne inversa
  • clinical diagnosis
  • disease severity assessment
  • biologic therapy
  • surgical management
  • comorbidities
  • quality of life
  • multidisciplinary care
  • real world evidence

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Other

17 pages, 382 KB  
Systematic Review
Revisiting Radiotherapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Clinical Outcomes, Safety, and Optimization Strategies: A Systematic Review
by Michal Poltorak, Pawel Banatkiewicz, Lukasz Poltorak, Maciej Szwast and Irena Walecka
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(8), 3164; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15083164 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 488
Abstract
Objectives: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life, especially in its moderate to severe forms. Traditional treatments, including antibiotics, hormonal therapies, and surgery, often fail to provide long-term relief in such cases. This [...] Read more.
Objectives: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life, especially in its moderate to severe forms. Traditional treatments, including antibiotics, hormonal therapies, and surgery, often fail to provide long-term relief in such cases. This study aims to explore the role of radiotherapy, particularly with the use of 3D printing technology to create personalized boluses and applicators, as an adjunctive treatment for refractory HS. A systematic review of published studies was conducted to assess the efficacy of radiotherapy in managing HS, with a specific focus on studies using 3D printing technology to create customized boluses and applicators. Methods: Publications from databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were analyzed for studies detailing radiotherapy techniques, dosing regimens, and the use of 3D-printed devices in HS treatment. The studies selected included those employing both external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, with particular emphasis on patient outcomes and adverse effects. Results: The reviewed studies highlighted a growing body of evidence supporting the use of radiotherapy for HS, especially in severe or treatment-resistant cases. The use of 3D-printed boluses and applicators in radiotherapy demonstrated significant improvements in treatment precision and patient comfort. Personalized treatment plans allowed for more accurate dose distribution, minimized air gaps, and reduced exposure of healthy tissue. No major long-term toxicity was reported across the majority of studies. Conclusions: Radiotherapy, particularly when combined with 3D printing technology, presents a promising treatment option for patients with severe or refractory HS. Customizable boluses and applicators enhance the precision of radiotherapy by conforming to irregular skin surfaces, thereby improving dose conformity and reducing side effects. Despite the positive results, further research is needed to assess the long-term safety and clinical feasibility of this approach. The integration of 3D printing in radiotherapy could significantly improve treatment outcomes, offering a more personalized and effective therapeutic option for HS patients. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1008 KB  
Systematic Review
Effects of GLP-1 Agonists on Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Systematic Review
by Annik Caliezi, Aref Hosseini, Ronald Wolf and Seyed Morteza Seyed Jafari
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(8), 2909; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15082909 - 11 Apr 2026
Viewed by 866
Abstract
Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which presents with painful nodules, abscesses and sinus tracts. Patients suffer from pain, drainage and worsening of mental health and quality of life. Treatment is often difficult. HS is typically associated with obesity [...] Read more.
Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which presents with painful nodules, abscesses and sinus tracts. Patients suffer from pain, drainage and worsening of mental health and quality of life. Treatment is often difficult. HS is typically associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome; thus, antidiabetics, especially GLP-1 agonists, present a potential therapy option. The aim of this review was to analyze the effects of GLP-1 agonists on patients with HS, including on their cardiovascular risk and quality of life. Methods: A literature search was conducted on Embase and PubMed, yielding 300 papers, of which 10 were used for this review. Results: HS patients using GLP-1 agonists showed improved clinical course with less pain and suppuration. Further, patients’ quality of life and mental health improved and their cardiovascular risk was reduced. Inflammatory parameters showed no significant changes. Patients receiving a higher drug dose of GLP-1 agonists were more likely to show clinical improvement. A reduction in weight or BMI did not correlate with improvements in Hurley stage, pain or depression. Hence, HS patients could be treated with GLP-1 agonists. Conclusions: Therefore, whether patients’ improvement is due to weight loss, or other mechanisms, i.e., GLP-1 agonists’ anti-inflammatory properties, remains to be determined in further studies. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop