Videocapillaroscopic alterations in erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.
BACKGROUND
Rosacea is a common chronic dermatosis that involves the cutaneous microvasculature of the face. There are no objective measures for assessing the severity of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to characterize and provide objective measures of vessel changes in erythematotelangiectatic rosacea by videocapillaroscopy.


METHODS
We compared 30 patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea with 30 age- and sex-matched patients with facial seborrheic dermatitis and 30 healthy control subjects. Videocapillaroscopy was performed both on the cheeks and on the nailfold region. The analyzed parameters of the face were morphological (background color, vessel irregularities) and quantitative (polygonal net perimeter, telangiectasia, and vessel diameters).


RESULTS
Characteristic alterations of skin vessels were observed in facial rosacea, with a pattern distinct from that of facial seborrheic dermatitis. In particular, rosacea showed neoangiogenesis and significantly larger polygons (13.21 +/- 3 vs 7.8 +/- 3 mm; mean +/- standard deviation, P < .001), more prominent telangiectases (267.8 +/- 108 vs 118.2 +/- 35 microm; P < .001) and larger mean vessel diameter (46.71 +/- 9 vs 24 +/- 10 microm; P < .001) compared with seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis displayed more polygon irregularities and vessel tortuosity. In contrast, no differences were found in the nailfold region.


CONCLUSIONS
Vessel irregularities and overall erythema may be difficult to quantify.


CONCLUSIONS
Videocapillaroscopy may represent a valid adjunctive method in the early diagnosis and measurement of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.
Rosina
Paolo
P
Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. paolo.rosina@univr.it
Zamperetti
Maria Rosa
MR
Giovannini
Andrea
A
Chieregato
Carlo
C
Girolomoni
Giampiero
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D012628:Dermatitis, Seborrheic / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000473:pathology*; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D012393:Rosacea / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000473:pathology*