Efficacy Assessment of Topical Brimonidine 0.33% in the Treatment of Rosacea in Middle Eastern Patients With Darker Skin Types Publisher



Nasrollahi SA¹ ; Samadi A¹ ; Samii F² ; Yuan C³ ; Firooz A¹
Source: Iranian Journal of Dermatology Published:2022

Abstract

Background: Brimonidine tartrate is an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist approved for treating rosacea. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a brimonidine gel in rosacea patients with skin types III and IV. Methods: This study was a phase II before-after clinical study in 20 patients with moderate to severe rosacea treated with brimonidine 0.33% gel. Clinician’s Erythema Assessment (CEA), Patients’ Self-Assessment (PSA), skin erythemn (δE), lightness (δL), and biophysical parameters were measured before treatment and 4 and 8 weeks later. Ultrasound parameters were also measured at the same time points. Results: Eighteen patients completed the study. CEA and PSA decreased significantly from 3.05 to 2.10 and 2.15 after 4 weeks and 2.20 and 2.15 after 8 weeks, respectively (P < 0.01 for both). Furthermore, δE and δL, as well as the skin erythema index, improved after 4 weeks of treatment. The skin echo density of both the epidermis and dermis also increased after 8 weeks (P < 0.05). During the study, no serious adverse events occurred other than some reports of temporary moderate redness. Conclusion: Daily application of brimonidine 0.33% gel is safe and effective for the treatment of rosacea in darker skin types. © 2022 Iranian Society of Dermatology.