TY - JOUR

T1 - Umbilical hidradenitis suppurativa symptoms

T2 - a case series and review of the literature

AU - Andersen, Rune Kjaersgaard

AU - Jemec, Gregor Borut Ernst

AU - Saunte, Ditte Marie

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Introduction: Umbilical erythema, itching, pain, and suppuration among hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) patients form a group of symptoms that is not described in the medical literature. Methods: A review of the medical literature combined with a case series of patients experiencing umbilical symptoms in relation to HS. These were collected among 348 HS patients connected to the Department of Dermatology at Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark, and members of the Danish HS Association’s Facebook page (Patientforeningen HS Danmark), who were asked to complete a questionnaire to better describe their symptoms. Results: Umbilical symptoms among HS patients are previously undescribed in the medical literature. Among the outpatient clinic’s patients, 7.1% (24/348) experienced umbilical symptoms, and for the Facebook group the number was 10.3% (28/272). Twenty-eight patients agreed to answer the questionnaire. Three-quarters of them experienced not only itching and erythema, but also malodorous and/or bloody umbilical discharge. Conclusions: The description of discharge symptoms experienced by many patients is similar to the description of symptoms of an umbilical pilonidal sinus (UPS). This is a condition with a morphology reminiscent to that of HS because it is defined by sinus tract formation triggered by hair penetrating the umbilical skin. UPS could be an explanation for umbilical HS symptom.

AB - Introduction: Umbilical erythema, itching, pain, and suppuration among hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) patients form a group of symptoms that is not described in the medical literature. Methods: A review of the medical literature combined with a case series of patients experiencing umbilical symptoms in relation to HS. These were collected among 348 HS patients connected to the Department of Dermatology at Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark, and members of the Danish HS Association’s Facebook page (Patientforeningen HS Danmark), who were asked to complete a questionnaire to better describe their symptoms. Results: Umbilical symptoms among HS patients are previously undescribed in the medical literature. Among the outpatient clinic’s patients, 7.1% (24/348) experienced umbilical symptoms, and for the Facebook group the number was 10.3% (28/272). Twenty-eight patients agreed to answer the questionnaire. Three-quarters of them experienced not only itching and erythema, but also malodorous and/or bloody umbilical discharge. Conclusions: The description of discharge symptoms experienced by many patients is similar to the description of symptoms of an umbilical pilonidal sinus (UPS). This is a condition with a morphology reminiscent to that of HS because it is defined by sinus tract formation triggered by hair penetrating the umbilical skin. UPS could be an explanation for umbilical HS symptom.

KW - hidradenitis suppurativa

KW - umbilical suppuration

KW - umbilical discharge

KW - umbilical pilonidal sinus

U2 - 10.15570/actaapa.2020.2

DO - 10.15570/actaapa.2020.2

M3 - Review

C2 - 32206815

AN - SCOPUS:85082380244

VL - 29

SP - 3

EP - 6

JO - Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica

JF - Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica

SN - 1318-4458

IS - 1

ER -