Occupational contact dermatitis in Triveneto: Analysis of patch test data of the North Eastern Italian Database from 1996 to 2016

Abstract

Background: Occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) is frequent in the workplace.Objectives: To provide recent data on the epidemiology of OCD in Italy.Methods: This multicenter retrospective study, conducted from 1996 to 2016, included patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) patch tested in the departments comprising the North-East Italy Contact Dermatitis Group.Results: We studied 18 859 workers with a diagnosis of contact dermatitis (CD), of which 10.4% were recognized as being of professional origin. OCD declined from 1996 to 2011-2013 and increased in 2014-2016. The overall prevalence of both CD and OCD was higher in women compared to men, but the share of OCD of the total CD was greater for men compared to women. A history of atopic dermatitis was less frequent in workers with OCD than in non-OCD patients (5.8% vs 8.6%). Hairdressers were the youngest profession (27.1 ± 11.7 years). Hands were the primary site of involvement in patients with OCD (76.6%). The five highest risk occupations for OCD were hairdressers, cooks, metalworkers, chemical industry workers, and construction workers. Conclusions:OCDs have a relevant impact in our region, mainly for five job categories, and the increase in the last 3 years suggests the need to improve preventive measures.

Sensitization to ethylenediamine dihydrochloride in patients with contact dermatitis in northeastern Italy from 1996 to 2021

“…Deeply analysing the characteristics of subjects sensitised to EDD, the most frequently involved sites were primarily hands/forearms followed by the face, as parts of the body most exposed to external agents, which is in line with other studies 19,32,34,50 . However, there was no significant difference in the MOAHLFA body localizations if compared with the EDD‐negative group.…”

“…However, there was no significant difference in the MOAHLFA body localizations if compared with the EDD‐negative group. Typically, wherever there is a relevant occupational role of sensitization, there is also a significant involvement of hands 34,50 . Hence, our finding supports the idea that EDD sensitization is mainly from non‐occupational contact with externally used preparations.…”

“…The Triveneto patch test database has been already described in several publications 32–34 . In the period between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2021, a total of 30 629 consecutive patients with symptoms and/or signs of suspected CD were clinically assessed and patch tested in one of the departments of dermatology or occupational medicine constituting the NEICDG (Padua, Trieste, Pordenone, Belluno, Rovigo and Trento‐Bolzano; the latter being aggregated for analysis).…”

Prevalence and risk factors for hand eczema among professional hospital cleaners in Denmark: A cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based study

“…[2][3][4] Risk factors for developing HE include wet work, having atopic dermatitis (AD), low age at onset of HE, contact allergy, tobacco use and cold/dry weather conditions. 1 Professional cleaners are at particularly high risk of developing HE with a 1-year prevalence of 8% 5 and a lifetime prevalence of up to 28% [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] due to wet work and exposure to cleaning products. 5,[16][17] Cleaning products are used extensively in hospitals and may contain preservatives, solvents, fragrances, and other compounds, which may cause irritation or sensitisation.…”

“…Professional cleaners are at particularly high risk of developing HE with a 1‐year prevalence of 8% 5 and a lifetime prevalence of up to 28% 6–15 due to wet work and exposure to cleaning products 5,16–17 . Cleaning products are used extensively in hospitals and may contain preservatives, solvents, fragrances, and other compounds, which may cause irritation or sensitisation 18 .…”