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עמוד בית
Thu, 03.10.24

ORIGINALS

IMAJ | volume 26

Journal 5, May 2024
pages: 283-288

A Comparison of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Characteristics Among Israeli Arabs and Jews: Analysis of Two Cohorts

1 Department of Dermatology, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel 2 Department of Dermatology, Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson Campus), Petah Tikva, Israel 3 Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel 4 Department of Dermatology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel 5 Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel 6 Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon, Israel 7 Department of Research and Information, Chief Physician Office, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel 8 Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel 9 Department of Dermatology, UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Summary

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease involving apocrine gland-bearing regions. There is an under-representation of non-Caucasians in epidemiologic studies of HS. The characteristics of HS in Israeli Arabs have not yet been studied.

Objectives: To investigate the demographic and clinical profile of HS in the Israeli Arab population.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in two cohorts of patients with HS in Israel. The patients were derived from the database of a large health management organization (n=4191, 639 Arabs; population-based) and a major tertiary medical center (n=372, 49 Arabs). Demographic and clinical data were compared between ethnic groups.

Results: The prevalence of HS in Israeli Arabs was found to be 0.5%, fivefold higher than in Jews. Arab patients were younger (35.3 vs. 40.5 years, P < 0.001) and mostly male (52% vs. 35.7%, p < 0.001), with lower rates of co-morbidities, including smoking (40.8% vs. 55.7%, p < 0.001), hyperlipidemia, and depression as well as a higher rate of dissecting cellulitis (10.2% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.008). HS was more severe in Arabs, but of shorter duration, with mainly axillary involvement (79.6% vs. 57.9%, p = 0.004). Treatment with hormones was more common in Jews, and with biologic agents in Arabs.

Conclusions: The findings suggest a different phenotype of HS in Arabs, warranting further study.

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