Intramuscular Triamcinolone Therapy for Acute Flares of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

According to a study published in Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, intramuscular triamcinolone (IMTAC) is a safe, effective, and well accepted adjunct for acute hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) management.

Researchers aimed to conduct a retrospective analysis and patient surveys to investigate the efficacy and patient experience of IMTAC therapy for acute, severe HS flares. The study included 45 patients with HS who received IMTAC therapy. Follow-up visits conducted around 6.77 weeks after the treatment showed significant improvements in various parameters. There were marked reductions in the mean HS-Physician Global Assessment (PGA), indicating an improvement in the overall severity of HS flares (p < 0.001). C-reactive Protein (CRP) levels, which are indicative of inflammation, also decreased significantly (p = 0.03). Moreover, patients experienced increased hemoglobin levels, suggesting a positive impact on their overall health (p = 0.004). Notably, pain scores significantly improved (p < 0.001). Additionally, researchers conducted multivariate analysis, adjusting for age, sex, and concomitant medications, and found that IMTAC therapy was associated with significantly reduced pain (p = 0.02) and increased hemoglobin levels (p = 0.03).

Patient surveys revealed that IMTAC therapy was well tolerated, with 64% of patients expressing satisfaction with the treatment, and an impressive 93% indicating a willingness to receive IMTAC injections again.

These findings demonstrate the potential of IMTAC as a safe, effective, and well-accepted adjunct in the management of acute HS flares. By effectively reducing inflammation, pain, and overall disease severity, IMTAC therapy appears to be a promising option for patients experiencing acute, severe HS flares. However, further research and larger-scale studies would be beneficial to confirm and validate these findings, and to establish IMTAC therapy as a standard approach in the management of acute HS flares.

Reference
Benesh G, Andriano TM, Hosgood HD, Cohen SR. Efficacy and patient satisfaction associated with intramuscular triamcinolone therapy for acute flares of hidradenitis suppurativa. J Cutan Med Surg. Published online ahead of print July 17, 2023;12034754231188319. doi:10.1177/12034754231188319