An Open-Label Phase II Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Etanercept for the Therapy of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

In a prospective open-label phase II study conducted by Giamarellos-Bourboulis et al., the safety and efficacy of etanercept, a TNF-α inhibitor, were evaluated for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa in 10 patients. The patients received a 50 mg dose of etanercept subcutaneously once weekly for 12 weeks and were followed up to 24 weeks. The results showed that at week 12, six patients had a greater than 50% improvement in their Sartorius score, and at week 24, seven patients showed improvement. Additionally, seven patients at week 12 and six at week 24 reported a decrease in the visual analogue scale (VAS) compared to baseline, indicating an improvement in quality of life. All patients experienced a decrease in local pain after week 4. However, eight patients experienced a recurrence of pus drainage 4-8 weeks after stopping etanercept treatment. The study concluded that etanercept is a safe and effective therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa, but a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is necessary to fully understand its role in treatment.