Contact allergy: Predictive testing in man

Abstract

Predictive tests are of value in forecasting the response of a population to a sensitizer; diagnostic testing is used to determine what substances may actually be producing dermatologic problems. Skin sensitization predictive and diagnostic data for the eleven most frequently encountered skin sensitizers in Western Europe, Canada and the United States are reviewed. These compounds include two drugs (benzocaine and neomycin), two cosmetic ingredients (p-phenylenediamine and balsam of Peru), four preservatives (formaldehyde, ethylenediamine, parabens and mercurials) and three ingredients of wearing apparel (nickel, chromium and thiram). Many of the data were collected by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group and the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group on tests with 1,200 and 4,825 dermatologic patients, respectively; the remainder were obtained by individual investigators with smaller groups of subjects. The data obtained by various investigators are discussed in relation to the factors which affect the extent and degree of sensitization which they can cause.

Topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: allergic and photoallergic contact dermatitis and phototoxicity

“…are handled without incident by a large% of the populations, in spite of their high potency in animal and human toxicologic assays (53). Fur- thermore, skin dose levels cari be designed to minimize induction of allergy (e.g., contact dermatitis from the ubiquitous use of formaldehyde in clothing).…”

Low Allergenicity of Triclosan

“…As stressed by some authors [9] the number of tested persons ought to be very much higher (±200) to offer a more secure answer to the problem. But the rarity of allergic reactions to triclosan, when compared to its use in the cosmetic industry, is in accord with our results.…”

Textile chemical finish dermatitis

“…Formaldehyde readily sensitized guinea pigs with intradermal injections (Draize method), topical occluded applications (Buehler method) and open epicutaneous tests (OET method) (81)(82)(83). A 3% solution of formaldehyde sensitized guinea pigs in open applications; a 1 % solution did not (84).…”