Rosacea Allocation Grant

Grant Allocation Announcement
12th October 2005

The Rosacea Research Foundation has allocated 2005 donated funds to an excellent grant.

STRUCTURAL AND BIOLOGIC CHANGES IN ROSACEA SKIN INDUCED BY PULSE DYE LASER AND INTENSE PULSED LIGHT

Dr. Payam Tristani-Firouzi, Assistant Professor,
Dr. Nancy Samolitis, Visiting Professor,
Department of Dermatology,
University of Utah School of Medicine.

Drs. Tristani and Samolitis plan to examine the effect of pulse dye laser (PDL) and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment of rosacea to determine whether, in addition to reducing the amount of blood vessels, these procedures produce structural and biologic change in the skin that may help identify and increase understanding of the causes of this disorder.

The researchers will visually and microscopically assess the primary features of rosacea before and after treatment with PDL and IPL, including redness (erythema), visible blood vessels (telangiectasia), bumps
(papules) and pimples (pustules).

In addition, biopsy samples before and after treatment will be tested for factors that are increasingly recognized as playing a potential role in the development of rosacea. These will include the presence of
inflammatory cells (perifollicular inflammatory infiltrate), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and factor XIII.

The researchers will also assess the size of oil (sebaceous) glands and the presence of Demodex mites, a normal inhabitant of human skin that has been observed in greater numbers in rosacea patients.

The study will include 10 patients with subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea and subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea, each received treatment on one side of the face with the other side
serving as a control. The overall severity of these signs of rosacea will
also be evaluated by the patients.