Examining Hormones in Pilonidal Disease

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Examining Hormones in Pilonidal Disease

  • IRAS ID

    298339

  • Contact name

    Asha Senapati

  • Contact email

    asha.senapati@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    London North West University Hospital NHS Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Pilonidal disease (PD) is a common disorder that occurs in the natal cleft (area between the buttocks). It has an incidence of around 26 per 100,000, and it is more than twice as common in men than women. Pilonidal disease rarely presents in patients who are prepubescent. In the current literature there are a lack of studies examining the relationship between hormone levels and pilonidal disease, despite the well-known physical and biochemical changes of hormones during puberty. Only one previous study by Ozkan et al (2013) has measured hormone status in patients with pilonidal disease. This small study concluded that the serum hormone prolactin was found to be raised in women with pilonidal disease. Other diseases thought to be linked to pilonidal disease, such as hidradenitis suppurativa (a disease which causes small painful lumps to form under the skin) also develop after puberty and are linked to abnormal rise of hormones in the body.

    The purpose of this study is to establish whether there is any abnormal hormone level in patients with pilonidal disease, especially in hormones known to promote excess hair growth and changes in sweat gland function.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/YH/0147

  • Date of REC Opinion

    8 Jul 2022

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion