TOPLINE:

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 studies found that hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) affected a very low percentage of the pediatric population and typically presented at an early age.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of 37 observational studies involving 6941 pediatric patients from 13 countries (mean age, 14.7 years; 79.7% girls; 36.5% White, 38.3% Black, and 13.9% Hispanic) with clinically diagnosed HS from five databases through May 2024.
• Of 1469 patients with known Hurley stage, 42.5% of patients had stage I (mild), 46.3% had stage II (moderate), and 11.2% had stage III (severe) disease.
• The researchers calculated pooled estimates for prevalence, age of onset, age at diagnosis, sex distribution, and the proportion of patients with a family history of HS.

TAKEAWAY:

• The prevalence of HS in pediatric populations was 0.03%; 38% of patients had a family history of HS.
• Female predominance was 78%; higher female predominance was associated with younger age at onset and diagnosis (P < .001).
• The mean age at symptom onset was 11.3 years, while the mean age of diagnosis was 14 years, indicating an average diagnosis delay of 3 years.
• In contrast with adults, there was no significant association between family history and age of onset.

IN PRACTICE:

“We highlight the importance of early diagnosis and intervention to prevent disease [HS] progression and reduce psychosocial and physical sequelae [in pediatric population],” the authors wrote. “Enhancing awareness among pediatricians and primary care providers of HS’s varied presentations is crucial, possibly through the incorporation of HS into residency and continuing medical education curricula,” they added.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Grace Xiong, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and was published online on September 4 in Pediatric Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

The meta-analysis included only three articles for prevalence estimation, selected based on methodological consistency to reduce heterogeneity highlighting a gap in recent data. All prevalence studies were conducted in the US, limiting insight into global differences in associated risk factors. The study did not capture cases of pediatric onset HS that were diagnosed during adulthood. Additionally, the negative findings might have been underreported.

DISCLOSURES:

No specific funding was received for the study. The authors declared having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.