Evolution of Clinical Pattern of Parthenium Dermatitis: A Study of 74 Cases

Abstract

Our aim was to study the evolution of clinical pattern of parthenium dermatitis. Patients with clinical picture consistent with parthenium dermatitis for 3 years or more along with positive patch test to parthenium were studied. Patients were questioned regarding the site(s) of dermatitis at the onset and change in localization in the following years. Patients were classified into airborne contact dermatitis, chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) pattern or mixed pattern dermatitis. There were 74 patients (49 men and 25 women) with an age range of 22-70 years and the mean duration of 7.7 years. 60 (39 men and 21 women) patients had airborne contact dermatitis, 5 mixed pattern and 9 CAD pattern at the onset. Of the 60 patients with airborne contact dermatitis, 27 (19 men and 8 women) changed to CAD pattern and 11 (6 men and 5 women) to mixed pattern after an average period of 4.2 years. Of the 19 patients photopatch-tested with parthenium, 3 showed photoallergic reaction and the other 3 showed photoaggravation. Our results suggest that the clinical pattern of parthenium dermatitis undergoes a significant change after the onset, i.e. progresses from airborne contact dermatitis to mixed pattern or CAD pattern.

Clinical profile and quality of life of patients with occupational contact dermatitis from New Delhi, India

“…Previous studies have described an evolution of the clinical pattern of parthenium dermatitis from the ABCD pattern to the CAD‐like pattern. The CAD‐like pattern was predominant in our study .…”

An update on airborne contact dermatitis: 2001–2006

“…Most of the allergens identified were in an occupational setting, if not the references are indicated with asterisk (Table 1). As in other recent reviews (2, 15, 16) plants represent a very important cause, particularly the Asteraceae (Compositae) family, for which recent advances in investigation of the clinical signs, diagnosis, and therapy have been published (17, 18*, 19*, 20, 21). Although mono‐ and sesquiterpene‐lactones, contained in Asteraceae, are by far the most frequently described airborne allergens in weed dermatitis, many other plant and wood allergens remain unidentified.…”

Occurrence of plant sensitivity among patients of photodermatoses: A control-matched study of 156 cases from new delhi

“…Various national and international authors have reported parthenium dermatitis simulating photodermatitis. Sharma et al [2] reported a series of 74 PD patients wherein 60 patients presented as ABCD, 9 as CAD, and 5 as mixed pattern. Of the 60 patients who presented as ABCD, 27 changed to CAD pattern and 11 to mixed pattern after an average period of 4.2 years.…”

“…Sharma et al in their study found 3/9 photopatch tested patients with photoallergic reaction to parthenium and another three patients showed photoaggravation. [2] The prevalence of plant sensitivity in CAD was reported to be 47/55(85.5%) in a study from Canada. [9] However, Somani reported 3/9 (33.3%) CAD patients with parthenium sensitivity with 2/9 (22.2%) patients showing photoallergy to parthenium.…”

“…Parthenium dermatitis simulating photodermatitis has been reported by various authors. [2,3] The rapid growth of parthenium weed in India and its ill effects on the population makes it important to detect all…”