The symptomatology of hidradenitis suppurativa in women.

In order to establish the possible role of androgen in the development of hidradenitis suppurativa the symptomatology of the disease was studied in a group of 70 female patients. The results were compared with those obtained from an age-matched control group of healthy women. The incidence of women with signs of androgenization in the two groups did not differ significantly. The only significant differences found were a shorter menstrual cycle and a longer duration of menstrual flow in the women suffering from hidradenitis, and that women with hidradenitis were more likely to have a positive family history of hidradenitis. The prevalence of hidradenitis in the control group was 4%. The results show that hidradenitis is not accompanied by other signs of androgenization. The disease may be due to local changes in the apocrine glands of predisposed individuals.