ABSTRACT

Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease. The etiology is not known exactly, and natural immunity, impaired dermal matrix, vasodilation, and fibrogenesis may play a role in the pathogenesis of rosacea. Many studies investigated the relationship between rosacea and Helicobacter pylori (HP) but the results were contradictory.

Patients were retrospectively identified from those treated by the Department of Dermatology. A total of 47 rosacea patients and 27 healthy controls were included in the study. Helicobacter pylori (Hp Ag), Helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin A (Hp IgA), and Helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin G (Hp IgG) were investigated and statistically compared in groups.

There was statistically no difference between the groups in terms of Hp Ag positivity (p=0.871), Hp IgA positivity (p=0.806), and Hp IgG positivity (p=0.330).

Although we did not observe any difference between groups, we were unable to evaluate whether there is a reduction in symptoms with HP eradication. Further studies are needed to clarify the relation between HP infections with rosacea and other dermatological disorders.

Keywords: Rosacea, Helicobacter pylori, Helicobacter pylori antigen (Hp Ag), Helicobacter pylori antibody (Hp Ab