Disseminate recurrent folliculitis as the presenting picture of hidradenitis suppurativa.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has a polymorphous clinical presentation. Herein we report two cases of HS revealed by disseminate recurrent folliculitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS CASE 1: A 31-year-old woman consulted for disseminate recurrent folliculitis on the trunk and proximal segments of the limbs that had been ongoing for several years. No other cutaneous lesions were seen, particularly in the classic area for HS lesions. Weight loss and treatment with azithromycin 500mg/day resulted in complete remission, but relapse occurred on dosage reduction. CASE 2: The elder sister of patient 1, who was also obese and 10 years her senior, presented a similar clinical history, although in addition, she was presenting lesions characteristic of HS on her armpits and inguinal folds; further, she had undergone an operation 3 years earlier for pilonidal sinus. Three months of combined treatment with rifampicin and clindamycin 900 mg/day followed by long-term doxycycline 200mg/day resulted in marked improvement.

DISCUSSION: Disseminate folliculitis is not infrequent during the course of HS; it forms part of the clinical picture and is particularly common in the follicular phenotypic variant; however, it is not part of the diagnostic criteria as defined consensually by the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation. The cases we report suggest that a setting of disseminate recurrent folliculitis may constitute the mode of presentation of HS, and may even represent an atypical monosymptomatic form of HS.

CONCLUSION: Disseminate recurrent folliculitis constitutes part of the clinical picture of HS; if it is isolated, screening should be performed for personal or familial signs of HS.