Resorcinol 10% as a Promising Therapeutic Option for Mild Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Prospective, Randomized, Open Study

Alexander Katoulis; Ourania Efthymiou; Aikaterini Liakou; Georgia Pappa; Antonios Kanelleas; Dimitra Koumaki; Evangelia Bozi; Dimitrios Sgouros

doi:10.1159/000531926

Resorcinol 10% as a Promising Therapeutic Option for Mild Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Prospective, Randomized, Open Study

Skin Appendage Disord. 2023 Dec;9(6):438-443. doi: 10.1159/000531926. Epub 2023 Aug 16.

Authors

Alexander Katoulis¹, Ourania Efthymiou¹, Aikaterini Liakou², Georgia Pappa¹, Antonios Kanelleas¹, Dimitra Koumaki³, Evangelia Bozi¹, Dimitrios Sgouros¹

Affiliations

¹ 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Attikon" General University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
² 1st Department of Dermatology-Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, "Andreas Sygros" Hospital for Cutaneous and Venereal Diseases, Athens, Greece.
³ Dermatology Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece.

PMID: 38058541
PMCID: PMC10697770 (available on 2024-12-01)
DOI: 10.1159/000531926

Abstract

Introduction: Treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is challenging, and in Hurley stage I, it is based on topical measures. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of topical resorcinol 10% with topical clindamycin 1% and no therapy, in Hurley stage I HS.

Methods: In this open, prospective, randomized trial, we studied 60 Hurley stage I patients with IHS4 ≤10. Group A was treated with topical resorcinol 10%; group B with clindamycin lotion 1%; and group C received no treatment. Patients were evaluated by total lesion count, the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks. Self-reported number of flares and adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

Results: A significant reduction in the mean total lesion count and DLQI scores were observed in group A, compared to group B at week 12 (p = 0.036, p < 0.001, respectively), and in the mean total lesion count, IHS4, and DLQI scores at week 24 (p = 0.034, p = 0.017, p < 0.001, respectively). Resorcinol 10% was well-tolerated with only mild AEs.

Conclusion: Resorcinol 10% may represent a useful alternative for the long-term treatment of mild HS, which is superior to topical clindamycin and has a favorable safety profile.

Keywords: Clindamycin; Hidradenitis suppurativa; Resorcinol; Topical therapy; Treatment.

Grants and funding

The authors have no funding sources to declare relevant to this work. A. Katoulis has received honoraria from AbbVie, Leo Pharma, and UCB for participation on advisory boards, honoraria, and travel grants from AbbVie, Janssen, L’OREAL, Pierre-Fabre, Pharmaserv-Lilly, Pfizer, Leo Pharma, Sanofi. O. Efthymiou has received travel grants from Abbvie, Leo Pharma, Faran and Enorasis. A. Liakou has received travel grants from Amgen, Pharmex, Pierre-Fabre and honorarium from Novartis for participation on advisory boards. G. Pappa has received travel grants from Faran and Cross Pharmaceuticals. A. Kanelleas has received honoraria and travel grants from Abbvie, Janssen, Genesis, UCB, Novartis, Pharmaserv-Lilly, Galenica. D. Sgouros has received honoraria as a speaker from Pfizer, Leo Pharma, AbbVie, L’OREAL, Pierre-Fabre, Pharmaserv-Lilly and Sanofi.