2024-09-24 22:02:32
A groundbreaking study presented today at the EADV Congress 2024 demonstrates the significant potential of semaglutide in the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a common and chronic skin disease, in people with obesity.
This is the first study to investigate the use of semaglutide in HS and represents a critical milestone in the search for effective treatments for this painful and debilitating condition.
HS currently affects an estimated 1 in 100 people, with obesity being a major risk factor. The condition is characterized by painful abscesses and scarring that can severely impact patients’ quality of life. Despite advances in the treatment of HS, effective treatments remain limited and can cause serious side effects, highlighting the need for alternative and better tolerated treatment options.
The study, which examined data from June 2020 to March 2023, evaluated the health outcomes of 30 obese patients with different stages of HS. Patients received semaglutide – a glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1RA – at an average dose of 0.8 mg once a week for an average of 8.2 months.
The results showed significant improvements in patient outcomes in several key areas.
Patients experienced fewer HS flares, with the frequency of these episodes decreasing from an average of once every 8.5 weeks to once every 12 weeks. Quality of life also improved significantly, as reflected in a reduction in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DQLI) from an average of 13/30 to 9/30.
Patients’ average BMI decreased from 43.1 to 41.5, and their average weight decreased significantly from 117.7 kg to 111.6 kg, with one-third of patients losing 10 kg or more during treatment.
Further positive changes were observed in the biochemical markers studied. HbA1c decreased from 39.3 to 36.6, indicating better control of blood sugar levels, while the average CRP decreased from 7.8 to 6.9, indicating less inflammation.
Dr. Daniel Lyons, lead researcher, explains: “Our results suggest that semaglutide, even at modest doses, can offer significant benefits in the treatment of HS. While the drug’s role in promoting weight loss is well established, what is particularly exciting is that it can also reduce the frequency of HS flare-ups, contributing to the remarkable improvements in patients’ quality of life.”
Dr Lyons adds: “The results are very encouraging and could represent a major breakthrough in HS treatment. To build on these advances, larger randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these results.”
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