Conditions: Rosacea
Keywords: Rosacea Wake Forest Demodex Finacea Gel
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 20
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of azelaic acid on Demodex folliculorum counts and disease condition via a split face design in approximately twenty patients with mild to moderate rosacea. The investigators hypothesize that treatment of rosacea with azelaic acid will lead to a decreased Demodex folliculorum count as well as an improvement in lesion count and redness.

Detailed description:
This is a split face, randomized, single blind, single center study. Male and female (non-pregnant, non-nursing) subjects, age 18 or greater, with mild to moderate papulopustular facial rosacea, with bilateral facial involvement, and no more than two nodules will be enrolled. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 by the study coordinator using a standard randomization table to receive azelaic acid twice daily on either the left side or the right side of the face and no treatment on the other side of the face. Subjects must have a positive Demodex folliculorum standardized skin surface biopsy, defined at \>5 mites cm at Screening/Baseline on at least one of two different SSSB specimens on bilateral sides of the face. The SSSB test location will ideally be on the cheek, but may be done in the most disease involved area. Subjects will be seen at Screening/Baseline, Week 1 and Week 4. Standard topical washout periods will be observed. At each visit, rosacea will be evaluated by lesion count, IGA and two Demodex SSSB tests done on each side of the face. Safety will be monitored at each visit using the Investigator Skin Irritation Assessment.

Arms:
arm 1: azelaic acid (Finacea® Gel, 15%) twice daily on either the left side or the right side of the face and no treatment on the other side of the face arm 2: no treatment on the other side of the face

Interventions: intervention 1: Azelaic acid
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 15% gel twice daily for four weeks to one side of face

Protocol document: