Comment on 'Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Children Treated with Finasteride: A Case Series'
January 2018
in “
Pediatric Dermatology
”
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Studysummary No results are reported in this piece; it is a correspondence comment on treating hidradenitis suppurativa in children with finasteride.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
The article is a comment on a case series that presented five children with mild hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) treated with finasteride, a systemic antiandrogen therapy, with potential remission up to 16 months after treatment. The author raises concerns about the ethical choice of finasteride as first-line therapy for HS in children, as well as the long-term safety risks of the drug. The author recommends that finasteride should be prescribed in low doses and for a short period of time for severe, refractory cases of HS, and that an adequate evaluation based on research and experimental studies is always advisable before introducing and promoting novel therapies in clinical practice. The author also suggests that a consensus statement would be helpful for future management of HS in children.
