Patients with Rosacea May Be More Likely to Develop GERD

Credit: Pexels / Sora Shimazaki

Data shows a significant link between patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and rosacea.

A team from the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State Health conducted the study under rational that previous research suggests rosacea is a systemic comorbid condition, as it may be linked to effects on patients' gastrointestinal symptoms. Rosacea is characterized by a chronic rash, but the cause is unknown. Patients with the disorder often have facial redness because of dilated superficial capillaries and red papules and pustules.

Past data has also shown an inconclusive association between rosacea and GERD. In the systematic review and meta-analysis, the investigators searched online databases for observational studies involving patients with rosacea and GERD.

Overall, they identified four studies to go along with original data derived from four different databases. The pooled analysis showed a statistically significant association between rosacea and GERD; patients with the skin disorder had a 67% greater risk of also having GERD than those without rosacea.

“Pooled analysis revealed that the odds of GERD are increased in patients with Rosacea when compared to controls,” the investigators wrote. “Recognition of this association can help provide counseling on interventions that simultaneously mitigate exacerbating factors of both conditions.”

While the cause of rosacea is still unknown, what is known is that it is estimated to affect up to 16 million people in the United States alone.

Additionally, a recent survey by the National Rosacea Society indicated that 47% of affect patients were unaware of the disorder prior to their diagnosis, and 95% stated that they knew very little about the signs and symptoms of rosacea.

An original version of this article was published on sister site HCPLive.