Benefits and safety of Oxymetazoline cream 1% on rosacea‐associated erythema: A systematic review and analysis of clinical evidence

Abstract

Background

Facial persistent erythema is recognized as difficult feature to treat in rosacea. Topical Oxymetazoline cream 1% has been used to treat persistent facial erythema in rosacea patients for some years.

Objective

To quantitatively synthesize the benefits and harms of Oxymetazoline cream 1% in real‐world clinical management of treatment response and adverse events.

Methods

The clinical researches before June 1, 2022 published on online databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library were meta‐analyzed.

Results

A total of 2298 participants were included, and the improvement rate of two‐grade Clinician Erythema Assessment score (CEA) and Subject Self‐Assessment for rosacea facial redness score (SSA) in Oxymetazoline group was 38% (95%CI 28–48) and 25% (95%CI 22–27), respectively, at the 4th week of the dosing. The comprehensive rate of treatment‐related TEAEs in Oxymetazoline group was 7% (95%CI 5–8). The rate of stinging/burning was 15% (95%CI 10–19), pruritus was 15% (95%CI 9–22), dryness was 23% (95%CI 18–28), and scaling was 17% (95%CI 12–22) in analysis of dermal tolerability. And topical Oxymetazoline cream 1.0% presented a very low rebound rate of erythema (1%, 95%CI 0–2).

Conclusions

These real‐world data on Oxymetazoline cream 1% in rosacea‐associated erythema may help making clinic decision and informing treatment expectations, and more clinic trials on longer‐term dosing or the combination treatment with oral medication and energy‐based therapy are worth exploring.