Intralesional triamcinolone for flares of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS): A case series.
BACKGROUND
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicle. Standard practice of managing acute flares with corticosteroid injection lacks scientific evidence.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess the outcomes of routine treatment using intralesional triamcinolone (triamcinolone acetonide 10 mg/mL) in the management of acute flares in HS.


METHODS
This was a prospective case series evaluating the effect of intralesional corticosteroids for alleviation of acute flares in HS. Physician- and patient-reported outcomes were noted.


RESULTS
Significant reductions in physician-assessed erythema (median score from 2-1, P < .0001), edema (median score from 2-1, P < .0001), suppuration (median score from 2-1, P < .0001), and size (median score from 3-1, P < .0001) was demonstrated at follow-up. A significant difference in patient-reported pain visual analog scale scores occurred after 1 day (from 5.5-2.3, P < .005) and from day 1 to day 2 (from 2.3-1.4, P < .002).


CONCLUSIONS
Small study size, open single-arm design, and short follow-up time are the limitations of this study.


CONCLUSIONS
Intralesional injection of corticosteroids is perceived as beneficial by physicians and patients in the management of HS flares by reducing pain after 1 day and signs of inflammation approximately 7 days later.
Department of Dermatology at Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark. Electronic address: pmik@regionsjaelland.dk.
Peter Theut
PT
Riis
Department of Dermatology at Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The Netherlands.
Jurr
J
Boer
Department of Dermatology at Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Errol P
EP
Prens
Department of Dermatology at Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Ditte M L
DM
Saunte
Department of Dermatology at Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Inge E
IE
Deckers
Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Medicine, Huddinge at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lennart
L
Emtestam
Department of Dermatology, Stockholm South General Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karin
K
Sartorius
Department of Dermatology at Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Gregor B E
GB
Jemec
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology*; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013492:Suppuration / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014221:Triamcinolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014221:Triamcinolone
acne inversa; corticosteroids; hidradenitis suppurativa; inflammation; intralesional; skin disease; triamcinolone acetonide