Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Zinc: A New Therapeutic Approach

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (Verneuil's disease) is a chronic suppurative dermatosis involving apocrine glands with a severe impact on the quality of life, which is enhanced by the fact that the drugs usually prescribed are poorly effective. OBJECTIVE: We discuss a new therapeutic approach based on zinc salts. METHODS: We performed a pilot study on 22 patients, mainly from grade I or II in Hurley's classification. All included patients had previously been prescribed a treatment (antibiotic, isotretinoin, surgery or anti-androgens), which was inefficient. They were then treated with 90 mg of zinc gluconate per day (15 mg zinc per Rubozinc capsule). RESULTS: We observed a clinical response in all patients, with 8 complete remissions (CR) and 14 partial remissions (PR). When CR was obtained, the treatment was progressively decreased (average of 3.5 capsules/day); 4/22 patients experienced side-effects, mainly gastro-intestinal. CONCLUSION: Zinc salts could provide a new therapeutic alternative for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa.