Clinical characteristics associated with joint pain in hidradenitis suppurativa

Although patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) report comorbid arthropathy, clinical characteristics associated with joint pain surrounding HS flares still remain obscure. We found that about one in five patients in our HS cohort reported peri-flare joint pain during their initial visit and that peri-flare joint pain was significantly associated with pain medication prescription (aOR 2.15, P = 0.02) and diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis (aOR 4.14, P < 0.001). Given the debilitating nature of HS flares, the addition of joint pain can further limit daily activities, underscoring the importance of a comprehensive approach to the management of patients with HS.