Nickel allergy is associated with wheezing and asthma in a cohort of young German adults: results from the SOLAR study

Abstract

BackgroundNickel allergy is the most prevalent contact allergy. It belongs to a different hypersensitivity type to asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis. The aim of this analysis was to assess whether self-reported nickel allergy is associated with incident wheezing, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis in young German adults, taking into account potential effect modification by sex.MethodsIn total, 2051 (70.6%) participants aged 19–24 years took part in the second phase of SOLAR (Study on Occupational Allergy Risks), a follow-up study of ISAAC II (the second phase of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) in Germany. Self-reported nickel allergy, as well as having pierced ears, and the three outcomes incident wheezing, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, were analysed stratified for sex. Logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders was performed.ResultsAn association between self-reported nickel allergy and incident wheezing was observed for men and women, while only in males did pierced ears show a significant association with the outcome (adjusted OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.10–4.62). Also only in males, self-reported nickel allergy was associated with elevated odds for incident asthma (adjusted OR 4.34, 95% CI 1.22–15.41). Neither in men nor in women was a significant association observed for incident rhinoconjunctivitis.ConclusionOur results suggest that self-reported nickel allergy is associated with incident wheezing. Whether this association is due to environmental or genetic predisposition, or due to an overlap of the mechanisms of type I and type IV hypersensitivity, needs to be elucidated.

Smell and taste in titanium and nickel allergic sensitization in orthodontic patients

“…Titanium also affects the sense of smell less than nickel. However, because of the small titanium 19 Therefore, people with an atopic disease are more prone to contact allergies. Their allergic rhinitis and chronic nasal congestion can also cause smell and taste disorders.…”

“…Therefore, smell and taste impairments occur simultaneously when a chemical substance is present in the oral and nasal cavities 16 . Some studies consider atopic diseases and allergic contact dermatitis to be closely related 17,18 due to environmental or hereditary predispositions, or because of the intersection of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying type I and type IV hypersensitivity 19 . Therefore, people with an atopic disease are more prone to contact allergies.…”

“…All three orthodontic offices used the same kind of orthodontic brackets (Ortho Classic) and nickel-titanium wires (GAC International). The age range was 11-45 years (median 18, interquartile range [16][17][18][19][20][21][22], 68% were females and 52% adolescents.…”

Molecular insight into Nickel(II) binding by Her2-specific IgE: a possible mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of Type I nickel hypersensitivity

“…Certain associations between Type I and IV hypersensitivity (Gelardi et al, 2017;Kolberg et al, 2020) with a particular clinical case having both underlying Ni allergies (Walsh et al, 2010) warrant further investigation. Since hapten-specific T cells (Saito et al, 2016) in type IV hypersensitivity can involve Ni 2+ bound MHC-peptide complexes (Moulon et al, 1995;Romagnoli et al, 1991;Sinigaglia et al, 1985), the Ni 2+ ion could bridge a human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR) β chain and the hypervariable region of the TCR α chain via interaction with a histidine residue of the HLA-DR (Gamerdinger et al, 2003).…”

“…Nickel allergy is usually reported as contact dermatitis of Type IV hypersensitivity and to a lower incidence, Type I hypersensitivity. While Type IV hypersensitivity is mediated by hapten-specific T cells (Aparicio-Soto et al, 2020;Büdinger and Hertl, 2000;Büdinger et al, 2001;Saito et al, 2016;Schmidt et al, 2010), Type I nickel hypersensitivity is IgE-mediated (Bennike and Foss-Skiftesvik, 2018;Dolovich et al, 1984;Kolberg et al, 2020;Malo et al, 1982;Nieboer et al, 1984;Novey et al, 1983;Saluja et al, 2016;Sastre et al, 2001;Shirakawa et al, 1990). Increasingly, associations between Type IV and Type I hypersensitivities to nickel in populations are reported (Gelardi et al, 2017;Kolberg et al, 2020), with evidence of both type I and IV hypersensitivity occurring within the same patient (Walsh et al, 2010).…”