Demographic and clinical profile of occupational cases of sensitization to methylisothiazolinone and Kathon CG: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: methylisothiazolinone alone or associated with methylchloroisothiazolinone (Kathon CG) is a preservative related to occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Objectives: to evaluate the demographic and clinical profile of occupational cases of sensitization to isothiazolinones in the city of Rio de Janeiro and to describe the presence of these preservatives in national paints. Methods: cross-sectional study based on information from medical records of workers who underwent patch testing between 2013-2017. The prevalence of clinical, demographic and occupational characteristics was described and an unadjusted model was used to investigate the association between variables. We sought the presence and concentration of isothiazolinones in the chemical composition sheets of national paints. Results: among the 768 workers submitted to the tests, 68 had occupational dermatosis with a positive result for sensitization to methylisothiazolinone/Kathon CG. The most affected occupations were those related to domestic activities and cleaning. There was a greater likelihood of sensitization to isothiazolinones in women and in those with involvement of the hands and legs. Among the 61 paints evaluated, 26 had some isothiazolinone, with methylchloroisothiazolinone being the most common. Conclusions: sensitization to isothiazolinones can impact workers’ health and demands greater vigilance on cleaning materials and cosmetics, as well as discussing the composition regulation of the paints sold in Brazil.