5 days ago
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Improve HS in Patients With Obesity
TOPLINE:
Investigators reported that glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) were associated with significant improvements in clinical severity, patient-reported outcomes, and weight in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and obesity.
METHODOLOGY:
The retrospective multicenter cohort study evaluated 66 adults (median age, 46 years; 58% women) with HS who received semaglutide, dulaglutide, or liraglutide for at least 3 months, using data from eight French hospitals, between 2017 and 2024.
Their median BMI was 39.4, and 86% of patients had diabetes; 45%, 32%, and 23% of patients had Hurley stages I, II, and III disease, respectively.
Outcomes included HS-Physician's Global Assessment (HS-PGA), flare frequency, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)-Pain, NRS-Suppuration, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and BMI at 6 months.
Median follow-up was 18.5 months.
TAKEAWAY:
At 6 months, 54% of patients had achieved at least one-point reduction in HS-PGA and 12% of patients demonstrated at least two-point reduction; flares were reduced in 60% patients.
NRS-Pain scores decreased in 52% of patients, NRS-Suppuration scores decreased in 53% patients, and improved quality of life, based on DLQI scores, was observed in 50% patients at 6 months.
Among 34 patients with stable HS treatment, all outcome measures showed statistically significant improvements at 6 months (P < .001).
Median BMI decreased from 39.4 to 37.2 at 6 months.
IN PRACTICE:
'GLP-1 RAs offer promise for patients with HS and obesity and potentially for patients without obesity through immunological effects,' the study authors wrote. 'Randomized clinical trials are warranted to confirm the role of GLP-1 RAs in HS management,' they added.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Louise Gouvrion, MD, Department of Dermatology, Rennes University Hospital in Rennes, France, and was published online on August 13 in JAMA Dermatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The retrospective design, concurrent use of diverse HS therapies, potential selection bias, and absence of glycemic and inflammatory biomarker data limit causal inference.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors did not disclose any funding information. Several authors reported receiving personal fees, conference invitations, nonfinancial support from AbbVie, Almirall, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lilly, Janssen, LEO Pharma, MSD, Novartis, UCB, and others.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
