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Patients with rosacea more likely to experience dyslipidemia, hypertension

Patients with rosacea were more likely to have dyslipidemia and hypertension and were at increased risk for coronary artery disease after adjustments when compared with a control group without the skin disease, according to recently published study results.

Researchers in Taiwan identified 33,553 patients with rosacea (median age of onset, 44 years) who were diagnosed between 1997 and 2010 and 67,106 randomly selected age- and gender-matched controls using the National Health Insurance Research Database. The odds of comorbidities between the two cohorts were compared using multivariate logistic regression.

Rosacea was significantly associated with dyslipidemia (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.36-1.46), coronary artery disease (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.29-1.41) and hypertension (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.12-1.21). After adjustment for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, an independent association remained between coronary artery disease and rosacea (OR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.14-1.26). There was a higher risk for all CVD risk factors and CVD in male patients compared with female patients, with the risks of diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and cerebral infarction significantly increased in men.

“The inflammatory nature of rosacea may be the reason for these associations,” the researchers concluded. “Clinicians should be alert to cardiovascular comorbidities in patients with rosacea.” – by Bruce Thiel