title: Retinaldehyde alleviates rosacea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anecdotal observations suggest that retinoic acid may be effective in mild rosacea.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to investigate, by an exploratory clinical and instrumental study, the effects of a topical formulation with the retinoic acid precursor retinaldehyde, in patients with vascular signs of facial rosacea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female patients were treated with a 0.05% retinaldehyde cream that was applied once daily for 6 months. Clinical assessments of persistent erythema and telangiectasia were performed every month, using a 4-point severity score (absent to severe). The clinical response for each parameter was defined as a decrease of at least 1 grade in the severity score. In addition, erythema was further evaluated by measurement of the a* parameter, using a spectrophotometer on lesional and nonlesional areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 23 women comprised the study population. At baseline, 10 patients had diffuse erythema, 3 patients had isolated telangiectasia and 10 patients had both. During retinaldehyde treatment, a clinical response was revealed in about 75% of the patients with erythema, after 5 months (p < 0.05). Similarly, isolated telangiectasia responded to retinaldehyde, although to a lesser extent and after a longer period of treatment (46% responders after 6 months, nonsignificant). Using the spectrophotometer, the a* parameter diminished in patients with erythema by about 15%, after 2 months of treatment (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that retinaldehyde has beneficial effects on the vascular component of rosacea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Pierre Fabre Research Institute, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vienne
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ochando
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Borrel
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gall
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauze
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dupuy
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D004890:Erythema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012393:Rosacea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D012172:Retinaldehyde