Childhood stye and adult rosacea

Background: Little is known about how individuals with a predisposition for rosacea appear in childhood. This retrospective, matched control, longitudinal study examined the relationship between childhood stye and adult rosacea.Methods: The records of the Rochester Epidemiology Project were examined to identify patients who received care for stye or blepharitis between ages 2 and 17 years, and received care for any cause at age 40 years or older. Patients were matched by group to control Subjects (1:2).Results: Patients with stye during childhood (N = 201) had a higher prevalence of adult rosacea than did control Subjects (5.5% vs 1.5%, P =.01). Patients who had other childhood eye conditions Without Stye (N = 504) were not at higher risk.Limitations: The study Population included few minority patients.Conclusions: The association between childhood stye and adult rosacea appears to be significant and should be examined further. Rosacea prevalence in adults may be lower (2.1%) than previously reported.