- HS appears most likely to be a post-adrenarche disease; children with the disease more frequently present with a hormonal imbalance compared with adults. In fact, HS in children may be a marker of precocious puberty, as noted in those presenting with adrenal hyperplasia and premature adrenarche.
- A separate population-based analysis revealed an association between HS and polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Pediatric patients diagnosed with HS are more likely to present with a family history of the condition, and those experiencing early onset appear likely to develop more widespread HS.
- A fivefold likelihood of HS in pediatric Down syndrome patients is also attributed to genetic mutations.
The higher incidence of HS among adults (0.1%) is likely due to largely postpubertal disease onset, the authors speculated. They acknowledged that delays in diagnosing adolescent HS could account for the difference in prevalence between pediatric and adult populations. According to one study cited by Dr. Garg and his colleagues, adults with HS may have symptoms as many as 7 years prior to receiving a diagnosis.
Findings in Dr. Garg’s study serve to reinforce those of previous studies on adult HS populations, which also cited higher prevalence among females, especially African American females.
The research was funded by an unrestricted educational grant from AbbVie. Dr. Garg has served as an adviser for and received honoraria from AbbVie; the remaining researchers had no relevant financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Garg A et al. J Investig Dermatol. 2018 Apr 2. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.04.001.