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Rosacea linked to increased risk for Crohn's disease
In an analysis of data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, a statistically significant association was found between a personal history of rosacea and an increased risk for subsequent Crohn’s disease, but not ulcerative colitis. Also, patients who had ever used tetracycline antibiotics at baseline had a higher risk for both CD and UC.
“Our data from a large, well-maintained cohort study suggest a possible association between personal history of rosacea and increased risk of CD, which may not be entirely explained by increased medical surveillance or medication use,” the researchers wrote.
Researchers examined Nurses’ Health Study data collected from 1991 to 2011 on 96,314 patients and identified 149 cases of CD and 215 cases of UC. Information was collected in 2005 through patient questioning on personal histories of rosacea as diagnosed by a clinician. In 1993, information on patient use of tetracycline was also recorded.
Patients with rosacea had a significantly increased associated risk of subsequent CD (HR = 2.2; 95% CI, 1.15-4.18). Rosacea was not found to be linked to an increased risk for UC (HR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.45-1.95). Patients who had a history of using tetracycline showed both an increased risk for CD (HR = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09-2.24) and UC (HR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1-1.8).
“We provide evidence further supporting that rosacea may represent a systemic disorder beyond a skin condition,” the researchers wrote. “We also found an association between ever use of tetracycline at baseline and risk of subsequent both CD and UC during follow-up. Further efforts are warranted to examine the risk of IBD by the status and duration of tetracycline use, taking into consideration the continuous or intermittent use during follow-up for a comprehensive pharmacoepidemiologic assessment.”
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.