Differences in the Clinical Characteristics of Male Patients With Different Ages of Rosacea: A Retrospective Study of 215 Male Outpatients.

Abstract

Background: Rosacea is more common in women and Caucasians, leading to little research on rosacea in Asian men. Additionally, there is limited research on the patients across different age groups.

Aims: The aim of this study is to analyze and compare the characteristics of male patients of rosacea among different age groups.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 215 male patients with rosacea, investigating their characteristics, clinical symptoms, exacerbating factors, complications, psychological status, and treatment, as well as exploring factors influencing the early onset of male rosacea.

Results: The patients were divided into three age groups (≤ 30 years, 31-44 years, and ≥ 45 years), with the study revealing an average age of 38.59 ± 13.13 years among the patients. The most common subtype of rosacea in men was erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR), followed by phymatous rosacea (PhR). The main reported features included persistent erythema (87.4%) and telangiectasia (71.2%), predominantly affecting the nose (58.6%) and cheeks (56.3%). Twenty-six percent of patients reported concurrent skin diseases, with 14.0% reporting systemic diseases. Significant differences were observed among different age groups regarding family history, clinical features, lesion distribution, symptom severity, aggravating factors, presence of systemic diseases, and treatment preferences. Subjective skin typing, Fitzpatrick phototype, and positive family history were identified as factors influencing the age of onset of rosacea in men.

Conclusion: Male patients with rosacea exhibit distinct clinical characteristics, with a greater prevalence of nasal involvement and nasal lesions among male patients. Clinical features vary among different age groups, with patients aged ≥ 45 experiencing more complex and severe symptoms. Patients aged ≤ 30 may be more influenced by genetic factors and have higher treatment expectations.