Hurley Staging System
A three-stage clinical classification system for hidradenitis suppurativa severity, ranging from Stage I (isolated abscesses, no sinus tracts) to Stage III (diffuse involvement with interconnected sinus tracts and scarring).
Full Definition
Devised by Helen Hurley in 1989, the Hurley staging system provides a rapid, clinician-assigned severity classification for hidradenitis suppurativa based on lesion extent, presence of sinus tracts, and degree of scarring, without requiring formal counting or scoring instruments. Stage I denotes solitary or multiple abscesses without sinus tracts; Stage II involves recurrent abscesses with sinus tracts and scarring; Stage III describes diffuse or near-diffuse involvement across a regional area. Editors must render stages as Roman numerals (I, II, III) and capitalise 'Hurley' as a proper noun throughout. It differs from dynamic scoring tools such as the IHS4 score and should not be presented as interchangeable with them.
Usage
Usage note: Always use Roman numerals for stages (I, II, III). 'Hurley' is always capitalised as an eponym. Not interchangeable with IHS4.
In Context
- "Using the Hurley staging system, the dermatologist classified the patient as Stage III." — Dermatology case report
- "The author wrote 'Hurley stage 2'; the editor corrected this to 'Hurley stage II' per convention." — Journal manuscript copyedit