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Rosacea associated with increased glioma risk

Patients with rosacea had a significantly increased risk for glioma in a Danish nationwide cohort, according to study results recently published in JAMA Dermatology.

Researchers conducted a nationwide study of Danish citizens between 1997 through 2011. There were 5,484,910 individuals in the study population, including 68,372 with rosacea and 5,416,538 who made up a reference population.

There were 21,118 individuals who developed glioma during the study period, including 20,934 in the reference population (50.4% women, mean age, 40.8 years) and 184 individuals with rosacea (67.3% women, mean age, 42.2%). There was a 3.34 incidence rate of glioma per 10,000 person-years in the reference population (95% CI, 3.3-3.39) and a 4.99 incidence rate in the patients with rosacea (95% CI, 4.32-5.76). Among patients with rosacea, there was an increased incidence rate of glioma in men compared with women.

Patients with rosacea had an adjusted incident rate ratio (IRR) of 1.36 (95% CI, 1.18-1.58). Adjusted IRR was 1.82 (95% CI, 1.16-2.86) for patients who had a primary ICD-10 diagnosis of rosacea by a hospital dermatologist.

“The results remains significant in sensitivity analyses and after adjustment for potential confounding factors,” the researchers wrote. “Notably, the rosacea-associated increased risk for glioma was greater in men than in women, whereas gliomas and rosacea were generally more common among women.”

“This association may be mediated, in part, by mechanisms dependent on [matrix metalloproteinases],” the researchers concluded. “Increased focus on neurologic symptoms (eg, headaches, memory loss, seizures, loss of muscle control, visual symptoms, dysarthria, cognitive decline and personality changes) in patients with rosacea and timely referral to relevant specialties may be warranted.” – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: Egeberg reports being a former employee of Pfizer Please see the full study for other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.