Background
In 2013, Canoui-Poitrine et al. identified three hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) phenotypes by a latent class (LC) analysis, based on anatomical sites of involvement.
Objective
To improve the classification of the gluteal phenotype (LC3) patients given their diverse lesion types and differences in clinical profile.
Material and methods
We designed a bicentric study gathering all LC3 patients (n=83) from two hospitals. We conducted a two-step cluster analysis among them and also compared their characteristics with the rest of the HS patients (n=661).
Results
Compared with global HS series, LC3 patients were more frequently non-obese men, with smoking habit, an associated arthropathy, and a more frequent history of pilonidal sinus. The analysis of LC3 patients yielded two clusters: cluster 1 (38.3%) included elderly female patients, with later diagnosis of the disease and more sinus tracts; cluster 2 (61.7%) encompassed more men with earlier disease onset and more nodules and folliculitis lesions.
Limitations
The study's limitations include its retrospective nature, bicentric design, and small sample size.
Conclusion
The heterogeneous clinical presentation of HS makes it essential to have a good classification of the patients. Gluteal phenotype could actually be classified into two “subphenotypes” with a different clinical profiles and management.
