A recent analysis of 75,088 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study found that women with rosacea faced an increased risk of thyroid cancer (HR 1.59) and basal cell carcinoma (HR 1.50; Br J Cancer 2015;113[3]:520-3). Rosacea may also impact one’s risk for developing certain neurological conditions. One study found an increased risk for dementia (HR 1.42) and Alzheimer’s disease (HR 1.92; Ann Neurol. 2016;79:921-8), while another found an increased risk for Parkinson’s disease (an adjusted incident ratio of 1.71 in patients with rosacea, compared with the referent population; JAMA Neurol. 2016;73[5]:529-34).
As for therapy, a recent Cochrane systematic review found strong evidence supporting benefits of several therapies over placebo, including metronidazole, azelaic acid, brimonidine, tetracycline, doxycycline 40 mg, ivermectin, and isotretinoin (Br J Dermatol. 2015;173[3]:651-2). A separate, 7-year retrospective study of 275 adults with rosacea published online in The Journal of Dermatology on Oct. 28, 2015, found that patients with the PPR subtype had a better overall prognosis, compared with their counterparts with the other subtypes. Overall, the median time to complete remission was 56 months. Complete remission was achieved in 46% of those with PPR subtype, compared with 19% of those with mixed subtype and 11% of those with ETR subtype.
Dr. Gallo disclosed that he has received research grants from the National Institutes of Health, Allergan, L’Oreal, Colgate-Palmolive, Regeneron, GSK, Galderma, and Bayer. He is a consultant for Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive, Sente, Matrisys, Dermata, Alnylam, Abbvie, Roche, and Promius.