OBJECTIVES: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by painful skin lesions, requires frequent healthcare encounters. Here, we evaluated healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs in German patients with HS.

METHODS: This cohort study, using claims data from the German analysis database for evaluation and health services research, included statutory insured patients with HS (defined by ≥1 medical HS claim [ICD‑10 L73.2]) between 1^st August 2015 and 31^st December 2016. All-cause and HS-related HCRU (% of patients) and related costs were described for the year 2017 in the overall HS cohort and stratified by comorbid depression, and potential predictors of greater disease severity: biologic medication use (≥1 biologic), and in/outpatient HS-specific surgery, in the 12 months prior to 1^st January 2017 (baseline).

RESULTS: 1,986 patients with HS were included (mean age: 41.2 years; 56.0% female); 2.7% and 28.1% had baseline biologic medication use and HS-specific surgery, and 23.8% had comorbid depression. Overall, 44.1% and 6.2% of patients had HS-related outpatient and inpatient claims (98.6%/27.9% had all-cause outpatient/inpatient claims). HS-related surgery was reported in 16.1% of patients with HS. HS-related inpatient claims/surgery were reported in 15.2%/30.3% of patients with baseline biologic use and 10.0%/27.0% of patients with baseline surgery. 57.5% of 1,919 patients used HS‑related medication (including biologics [3.6%]), covering 64.8% of all-cause medication claims and 74.8% of HS‑related healthcare costs. Average HS-related healthcare costs were higher in patients predicted to have more severe HS and those with comorbid depression.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the overall HS cohort, patients with predictors of more severe disease, had higher HCRU, associated costs and overall economic burden versus the overall cohort. HS-related medication and outpatient claims represented the majority of HS-related HCRU. Recent guidelines for HS in Germany, published after this study, recommend earlier biologic use; therefore, current data may differ to these findings from 2017.