This study suggests that FLG null mutations may be a risk factor for the development of nickel sensitization. However, ear piercing was a much stronger risk factor in our general population and we could therefore identify a positive association only in women without ear piercings. Contact sensitization to specific chemicals is related to treatment exposure.

Background: Physiological changes during pregnancy may affect laboratory parameters. Reference values based on samples from non-pregnant women are not necessarily useful for clinical decisions during pregnancy. There is a need to establish reference values during pregnancy in order to recognize pathological conditions. Methods: Eight hundred and one women with expected normal pregnancies were included in the study. Of these, 391 had no complications during pregnancy, delivery, or the early postpartum period. Blood samples were obtained at gestational weeks 13-20, 21-28, 29-34, 35-42, at labor, and 1 and 2 days postpartum. Reference intervals were calculated for 36 tests as recommended by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. Results: Many tests showed such large variations indicating that gestational age-specific reference intervals were necessary. Other tests had different but stable values when compared to non-pregnant women. A minor decrease in albumin levels was observed. This was not only due to pregnancyassociated hemodilution, since other components with the same or a larger molecular diameter did not show a similar decrease. Many tests exhibited a broad distribution around vaginal delivery and in the early postpartum period. Conclusions: Only a few parameters were unaffected during uncomplicated pregnancy, delivery, and the early postpartum period suggesting that implementation of gestational agespecific reference intervals is necessary. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:237-48.

FLG null mutations were significantly associated with hand eczema (< 12 months) in subjects with atopic dermatitis. Combined atopic dermatitis and filaggrin null mutation status was strongly associated with early onset of hand eczema and hand eczema persistence.