Clinical-demographic profile, aggravating factors, comorbidities, and quality of life in patients with Rosacea: a Brazilian multicenter study (GBPER: Brazilian Research and Studies Group on Rosacea)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is the most prevalent chronic vascular-inflammatory dermatosis of the face. Its pathogenesis includes genetic and environmental factors, neurovascular alterations, and innate immunity. Many triggering and aggravating factors, as well as systemic comorbidities, have been associated with the disease, but there are few studies on its epidemiology in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To describe the profile of patients with rosacea treated at referral centers, as well as to investigate the presence of comorbidities, dietary aspects, worsening factors, and quality of life. METHODS: Cross-sectional and multicenter Brazilian study. Clinical and demographic data, disease severity, triggering and/or aggravating factors, diet, comorbidities, and impact on quality of life were evaluated. RESULTS: 258 patients were included, predominantly women, between 35 and 65 years old and phototypes III, IV and II. The clinical picture ranged from mild to moderate in 89% of cases and quality of life was reasonable to slightly affected in 58% of cases. Aggravating factors for rosacea were reported by 96% of patients, with climate exposure, alcoholic beverages, and emotional changes being the most frequent. Among the foods mentioned as aggravating factors (28%), pepper, other condiments and hot beverages were the most frequently reported. Comorbidities were reported by 89% of the participants, with emphasis on endocrine (48%), psychiatric (35%), cardiovascular (31%) and gastrointestinal (28%) diseases. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Uncontrolled study, including patients undergoing dermatological treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes that the profile of Brazilian patients with rosacea corroborates that described in the literature, with the presence of the disease in higher phototypes being relevant. Pepper and other condiments and hot beverages were important aggravating factors, and the presence of various comorbidities was reported by most of the patients.