Obesity and Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Targeting meta-inflammation for therapeutic gain?

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, suppurative condition of the pilosebaceous unit. The typical HS patient is characterized as obese, smoker, manifesting nodules, abscesses and/or draining tunnels predominantly distributed in intertriginous skin. It is established that lifestyle and genetic factors are the main pathophysiological drivers of HS. In this critical review, we explore the interrelatedness of the meta-inflammation, obesity and HS and discuss if and how this relationship may be manipulated for a therapeutic end.