Investigation of the relationship between inflammatory blood parameters and rosacea and demodex infestation

Background Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease. Although the etiopathogenesis of the disease has not been established, it is known that inflammation plays a prominent role in the disease. Demodex mites have been thought to have a role in the pathogenesis of rosacea by causing the occurrence of inflammatory lesions. In the literature, many studies have reported that complete blood count (CBC) parameters have been used as diagnostic biomarkers in diseases associated with inflammatory process. Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate CBC parameters in rosaceous patients with and without demodex mite and to compare with healthy controls (HCs). Patients/Methods Ninety patients followed in our clinic between January and October 2019 and 62 healthy controls matching in terms of age and sex were included in the study. CBC parameters of the patients and the HCs were compared, retrospectively. Results There was no statistically significant difference in mean platelet volume (MPV), red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, monocyte lymphocyte ratio, and platelet lymphocyte ratio levels between all patients and HCs. RDW values were significantly lower in demodex (+) rosace group, when compared to demodex (-) rosace group and HCs. Conclusions The lower RDW levels in the demodex (+) group suggested that demodex mite did not have an increasing effect on inflammation and was effective in the disease through alternative pathways.