The National Rosacea Society has awarded funding for three new studies, in addition to continuing support for two ongoing studies, as part of its research grants program. The purpose of the grant program is to increase knowledge and understanding of the causes and other key aspects of rosacea that may lead to improvements in its management, prevention or potential cure.

Two recent small studies on ocular rosacea yielded new findings that help in understanding its manifestations as well as the disease process.

Researchers at Kirikkale University in Turkey found that despite a high incidence of dry eye in individuals with rosacea, corneal and conjunctival sensitivity were not significantly different from those of the eyes of individuals without the disorder. This is the first time to their knowledge that such a study has been conducted.¹

The surge of scientific studies linking rosacea and a wide variety of other medical disorders, called comorbidities, may have been inspired by similar findings about another skin disorder, according to Dr. Sewon Kang, chairman of dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a member of the NRS Medical Advisory Board.

Physicians and researchers may soon have a new computer-based process to help objectively assess the redness of subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea, according to a recent report by researchers from the University of California-Davis.

Right now, the redness of rosacea is typically assessed visually by dermatologists using various scales to evaluate severity, such as the Clinician’s Erythema Assessment, a standard scale that has been demonstrated to be reliable in determining agreement among visual evaluations. Current assessments may also be assisted by photography.

Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs), a family of proteases recently identified as having a possible role in the development of rosacea, may help provide a pathway to controlling rosacea’s signs and symptoms, according to an article by Drs. Jan Fischer and Ulf Meyer-Hoffert of the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein in Germany in the journal Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

A researcher in Germany has proposed a novel unifying theory that may explain the molecular origin of rosacea in terms of climate adaptation. He contends that the new concept may not only explain why the disorder’s known triggers can cause flare-ups, but is also consistent with known therapeutic activity against rosacea’s signs and symptoms.

Genetics have long been thought to play a role in rosacea, but researchers have yet to isolate their influence. In one of the first studies of rosacea to measure and define genetic and environmental contributions, Dr. Daniel Popkin, assistant professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University, and colleagues have found that genetics and environmental factors may contribute equally to the disorder.

Although rosacea's connection to the cardiovascular system has been widely suggested ­– flushing and the potential development of visible blood vessels are two of the skin disorder's primary symptoms – recent studies point toward a potential broader connection between rosacea and cardiovascular disease.

A new study has documented for the first time the clinical differences between subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea – characterized by facial redness and, sometimes, visible blood vessels – and a condition with visible blood vessels from sun damage known as telangiectatic photoaging (TP), providing a clear picture of the differences between the two disorders and aiding in appropriate treatment.¹

In a recent study funded by the National Rosacea Society, Dr. Yoshikazu Uchida, research dermatologist at the University of California – San Francisco, and colleagues overcame a challenge that may lead to important advances in the treatment of rosacea.