Monday, April 11, 2011

Rosacea News March 2011

1. Gallo: beta-defensins coordinate Skin Barrier Injuries

This short abstract from Dr. Richard Gallo is an introduction to an article further on in the journal edition from Dr. Ahrens et al. Gallo’s interest is piqued by the possibility of a coordinated defense effort from the permeability and antimicrobial barriers of the skin. Ahrens was able to show that certain Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), called beta-defensins were upregulated (i.e. they …

2. Dry Eye is a common precursor to Ocular Rosacea

This abstract suggests that dry eye may be an early sign of ocular rosacea. Tear function tests could help the early diagnosis of ocular rosacea, according to the authors. Currently there is no definitive diagnostic test for ocular rosacea, it is based on clinical symptoms. One proposed diagnostic test is high abundance of oligosaccharides in the tear fluid of patients with rosacea. …

3. Ever heard of a Rx Cream with NO ACTIVE INGREDIENTS?

In all of your internet searching for treatments, have you ever come across a FDA approved, prescription-only treatment that claims to have no active ingredients ? Would you stop and think What is that all about? Well I did. The supporting web site for Promiseb Topical Cream  (online at http://promiseb.com/) contains a very …

4. Itchy Gritty Eyes may be Blepharitis

An unusually useful article about Blepharitis today from The Herald Times Reporter, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. (htrnews.com). Itchy, sandy feeling in eyelids may be blepharitis Question: What causes my eyelids to be itchy and sandy in the mornings? Answer: The most likely cause of your symptoms is something called blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelids, and …

5. Sansrosa starts Phase 3 Trials (again)

News today that Galderma has listed CD07805/47 as entering large scale Phase III trials. Under the previous owners of the Brimonidine-based technology Collagenex, the product then known as Sansrosa …

6. The Rosacea App: A Rosacea Web Site in your pocket

This is a first. A major pharmaceutical company has released a smart phone app for rosacea sufferers. Intendis, the makers of Finacea, have created a program that you can carry around for easy reference.

Built with the help …

7. Finacea plus Low Dose Accutane to treat Seborrheic Dermatitis + Rosacea + AK

Below is a recent paper suggesting that combining Finacea with Low Dose Accutane is a useful treatment for rosacea concomitant with seborrheic dermatitis. The patient was also suffering from Actinic Keratosis (pre-cancerous skin lesions). The patient experienced relief from both rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis, two conditions that together sometimes prove tricky to treat. Bear in mind, though, that this paper …

8. Intendis makes a mobile phone app for Rosacea

Intendis, the makers of Finacea, have announced that they are to produce an application for mobile phones to help sufferers of rosacea manage their symptoms. To be launched in March, the Rosacea Info App will be available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android. Previously Rosacea News covered a program called AcneApp that purported to treat acne by displaying a solid red or …

9. Galderma, with Oracea looking for Inflammatory Pathway Markers

Seemingly wanting to help answer the question How do tetracyclines help Rosacea? Galderma has announced a large trial to measure the changes in inflammatory pathway markers when you take Oracea.

Whilst the trial only directly mentions LL-37 and MMP I would expect other well known markers to be measured as well.

If the researchers include markers that can be proven to be indicative of rosacea disease, …

10, The Placebo Effect is a very strange thing indeed

How exactly does the mind play a role in the way that medicines help us ? How come even when we know the treatment is fake, we can get better ? Should we be asking our doctor for a bottle of placebo pills the next time we visit ? I would love to know the answer to these questions and …

11. Xylometazoline (Otrivin) is another red face treatment

A brief extract today covering a paper detailing how the topical Xylometazoline can be used to treat the redness of rosacea.

Similar to oxymetazoline, xylometazoline is marketed as a nasal decongestant under many brand names. Brands you may come across include Otrivine, Otrivin, Sinutab Nasal Spray, Cirovin and Novorin.