Association between rosacea and the risk of depression: A retrospective cohort study
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that has increasingly been recognized for its potential systemic associations. While several studies have suggested a link between rosacea and psychiatric conditions, evidence on its association with depression remains limited, particularly in Asian populations. This study aimed to identify whether patients with rosacea are at an increased risk of developing depression and to provide evidence supporting the need for integrated dermatological and psychiatric care. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort, which included patients with newly diagnosed rosacea (n = 3052) and age-, sex-, and index year-matched reference populations without rosacea (n = 30,520) between 2003 and 2017. The primary outcome was subsequent depression. Multivariable Cox regression was performed to evaluate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for subsequent depression. Of the 33,572 individuals in the study population, 4057 developed depression during the study period, including 485 of the 3,052 patients with rosacea (47.2% women; mean [SD] age, 58.5 [9.1] years). Compared with the control group without rosacea, patients with rosacea displayed an increased risk for depression (aHR, 1.34 [95% CI 1.22–1.48]; P < 0.001). This tendency remained consistent across subgroup analyses, propensity score matching, and sensitivity analyses regarding washout periods. These findings suggest that the potential psychological impact of rosacea warrants consideration. While further research is needed to establish causal pathways, our results highlight the potential value of a more integrated approach to better address the overall well-being of patients with rosacea.
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