Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of GLP-1 Agonists in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

April 2025 | Volume 24 | Issue 4 | 8725 | Copyright © April 2025


Published online March 11, 2025

Aarthi Parvathaneni BA BSa*, Emelie N. McQuitty MDa*, Bailey Slawin BAa, Sanjana Likki BSa, T. Austin Black BSa, Nadeen Gonna MDc, Rashid M. Rashid MD PhDb

aUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
bMosaic Dermatology, Houston, TX
cHCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, Kingwood, TX

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a notoriously difficultto- treat inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of deep, painful nodules, abscesses, tracts, and fibrotic scars, often occurring in intertriginous and apocrine gland-rich areas.1 HS is associated with various comorbid conditions, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), metabolic syndrome, and obesity, all of which share a lack of glycemic control.2 With the emergence of GLP-1 agonists, and their increased use to achieve glycemic control, exploring their potential advantages for patients with HS is warranted. This letter examines the application of GLP-1 agonists in the treatment of HS to date.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To identify case reports examining the use of GLP-1 agonists in the treatment of HS, a literature review of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase using the search terms “hidradenitis suppurativa” and “GLP-1”, was conducted on August 27th, 2024. Two authors (AP and ENM) screened all articles for inclusion and extracted data for the variables in Table 1.

RESULTS

17 articles were identified, with two meeting inclusion criteria following review. For further details, see the PRISMA diagram in Figure 1. Both included articles showed initial weight loss and a reduction of disease severity following treatment with the GLP-1 agonist, Liraglutide (Table 1).3,4