Dapsone to treat rosacea

Abstract

The methods described herein provide treatment of rosacea using topical formulations of dapsone. The methods also provide treatment of rosacea with topical dapsone in combination with other active agents, including metronidazole. The methods avoid negative hematologic side effects, including hemolysis and hemolytic anemia, that are associated with oral administration of dapsone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to treat papulopustular rosacea comprising topically administering to a patient having at least twenty rosacea lesions an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising dapsone in an amount of about 5% by weight and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering a composition comprising metronidazole and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the patent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the composition comprising dapsone and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered once daily and the composition comprising metronidazole and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is administered once daily. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered twice daily. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 5% dapsone, about 0.85% carbomer 980, about 25% diethylene glycol mono ethyl ether (DGME), about 0.2% methylparaben, about 0.2% sodium hydroxide, and about 68.75% purified water. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treatment results in a mean reduction of at least 13 papulopustlar lesions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treatment results in a mean reduction of at least 13 papulopustlar lesions