Nickel is the major cause of allergic contact dermatitis in the general population, both among children and adults, as well as in large occupational groups. This metal is used in numerous industrial and consumer products, including stainless steel, magnets, metal plating, coinage, and special alloys, and is therefore almost impossible to completely avoid in daily life. Nickel contact dermatitis can represent an important morbidity, particularly in patients with chronic hand eczema, which can lead to inability to work, a decrease in quality of life and signifi cant healthcare expenses. Therefore, its management is of great importance. This article reviews diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic strategies in this fi eld.
Background:
Occupational dermatoses are common, especially contact dermatitis.
Epidemiological studies on these dermatoses are scarce in Brazil and they
are necessary as part of the public policy to protect workers' health.
Objectives:
To identify sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients with
occupational contact dermatitis seen between 2000 and 2014 at an
occupational dermatology service.
Methods:
It is a cross-sectional and retrospective study, based on information
obtained from the service's database.
Results:
Of 560 patients with conclusive patch test, 289 (46.9%) presented
occupational dermatoses and 213 occupational contact dermatitis with
predominance of the allergic type in relation to the irritative type (149:64
respectively). The odds of occupational dermatoses were higher among men and
lower among patients aged 50 years or older and with higher level of
education. Regarding the possibility of presenting occupational allergic
contact dermatitis, only the gender variable was statistically significant.
The professions most seen were cleaners, construction workers, painters,
mechanics/metallurgists and cooks. The commonest allergens were nickel
sulfate, potassium dichromate, cobalt chloride, carba-mix and
formaldehyde.
Study limitations:
The main limitations of this study are the fact that it was carried out in a
tertiary service of occupational dermatoses and the lack of access to some
allergens outside the patch test baseline series.
Conclusions:
It was possible to identify the sociodemographic and clinical profile of
patients with suspected occupational contact dermatitis seen at the Service,
beyond the professional groups and allergens related to a high risk of
occupational contact dermatitis in this population.
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