Patch test results in patients with allergic contact dermatitis in the Podlasie region

Abstract

IntroductionThe aim of the study was to provide current data on the incidence of allergy to various contact allergens in patients with allergic contact eczema and the analysis of selected socio-demographic data of the patients.Material and methodsThe study included 1532 patients (1010 women and 522 men) treated for allergic contact dermatitis at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology and at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic in Bialystok in 2007–2011. The assessment of selected demographic data and skin lesions was based on the MOAHFLA index, while the results of patch tests were analyzed with modified Baseline European Series consisting of 31 allergens.ResultsIn the group of patients with eczema, 34.1% were men, and 55% of all respondents were people over 40 years of age. The occupational character of skin lesions was found in 22.5%. Most frequently (38.9%) skin lesions were localized on the hands, rarely involved legs (3.98%). Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 4.5% of patients. The ten most frequent allergens were: nickel sulfate (24%), cobalt chloride (15.3%), fragrance mix (8.25%), potassium dichromate (6.8%), balsam of Peru (5.5%), neomycin (4.42%), paraphenylenediamine (3.85%), Quatermium-15 (2.1%), detreomycin (1.83%) and budesonide (1.44% of tested patients).ConclusionsFrequent allergy to detreomycin indicates the need of patch testing for this allergen of all examined patients with allergic contact dermatitis. The increased frequency of the nickel allergy is a worrying problem and indicates the need for education about the risk factors for nickel allergy development and the implementation of appropriate legal regulations.

Chromium allergy and dermatitis: prevalence and main findings

“…The authors observed an overall significant decline in the prevalence of chromium allergy from 5.3% in 2002–2003 to 4.2% in 2007–2009 (linear‐by‐linear association p trend < 0.001). A similar temporal trend was observed when the weighted average of the individual countries' (134–137, 152, 156–165) prevalence rates across Europe in the period 2002–2012 ( p trend < 0.001) were examined. This general decrease in the prevalence of chromium allergy among European countries corresponds well with a possible effect of the European cement regulation.…”

“…Occupational causation of chromium dermatitis was found for only one‐quarter of patients. Similar trends have been seen in other European countries, with approximately two‐thirds of the chromium patch test‐positive populations being women in, for example, the Czech Republic , Italy , Poland , and Spain . Regulations and laws have existed in European nations for many years, beginning with the Danish cement regulation of 1983 (see Regulations).…”

Patch test results in children and adolescents suffering from allergic contact dermatitis – comparison of patients with and without atopic dermatitis

“…In our studies, as in the case of nickel, cobalt contact allergy was observed much more frequently among girls (16.4%), particularly at the age of 14-18 (18.62%). These values are similar to those observed among adults with contact eczema examined in Bialystok, but they are higher than in other European countries [22,24].…”

“…The other sources of this allergen are jeans studs, buttons, dental alloys, mobile phones and tablets. Comparing the results of the adult population from the Bialystok center in 2007-2011 showed a similar percentage of allergies in examined children -24% [22].…”

“…Innymi źródłami tego alergenu są nity w dżinsach, guziki, aparaty ortodontyczne, telefony komórkowe i tablety. Porównując wyniki badań grupy osób dorosłych z ośrodka białostockiego z lat 2007-2011, wykazano podobny odsetek uczuleń jak u dzieci -24% badanych [22].…”