ORIGINALS
IMAJ | volume 26
Journal 6, June 2024
pages: 388-394
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Incidence and Prevalence Rates Are Increasing: A Population-based Study
1 Department of Pediatrics, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
2 Department of Quality Measurements and Research, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
3 Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
4 Dermatology Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
5 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
6 Dermatology Clinic, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
7 Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Summary
Background:
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with a heavy burden of morbidity and cost.
Objectives:
To provide standardized estimates of trends in HS incidence and prevalence among patients in Israel between 2016 and 2019.
Methods:
We conducted a population-based analysis of routinely collected electronic health records data from Clalit Health Services, the largest nationwide public health service provider in Israel. Age- and sex-adjusted rates were reported by using the standard European population as a reference.
Results:
The study included 3488 HS incident cases. The mean ± SD age of onset was 30.3 years and was similar in males and females. HS was more common among Jews with low and medium socioeconomic status. The annual HS incidence rate increased throughout the study period. HS prevalence increased from 0.12% in 2016 to 0.17% in 2019.
Conclusions:
HS prevalence and incidence rates steadily rose among the Israeli population between 2016 and 2019. Awareness of these findings can help provide an optimal allocation of healthcare resources by
policymakers and health service providers and prevent delays in diagnosis.