North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch test results: 2009 to 2010

Erin M. Warshaw, Donald V. Belsito, James S. Taylor, Denis Sasseville, Joel G. DeKoven, Matthew J. Zirwas, Anthony F. Fransway, C. G Toby Mathias, Kathryn A. Zug, Vincent A. DeLeo, Joseph F. Fowler, James G. Marks, Melanie D. Pratt, Frances J. Storrs, Howard I. Maibach

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

186 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Patch testing is an important diagnostic tool for determination of substances responsible for allergic contact dermatitis. Objective: This study reports the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) patch testing results from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2010. Methods: At 12 centers in North America, patients were tested in a standardized manner with a screening series of 70 allergens. Data were manually verified and entered into a central database. Descriptive frequencies were calculated, and trends were analyzed using χ2 statistics. Results: A total of 4308 patients were tested. Of these, 2614 (60.7%) had at least 1 positive reaction, and 2284 (46.3%) were ultimately determined to have a primary diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis. Four hundred twenty-seven (9.9%) patients had occupationally related skin disease. There were 6855 positive allergic reactions. As compared with the previous reporting period (2007-2008), the positive reaction rates statistically decreased for 20 allergens (nickel, neomycin, Myroxylon pereirae, cobalt, formaldehyde, quaternium 15, methydibromoglutaronitrile/phenoxyethanol, methylchlorisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, potassium dichromate, diazolidinyl urea, propolis, dimethylol dimethylhydantoin, 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3- propanediol, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, glyceryl thioglycolate, dibucaine, amidoamine, clobetasol, and dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea; P < 0.05) and statistically increased for 4 allergens (fragrance mix II, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, propylene glycol, and benzocaine; P < 0.05). Approximately one quarter of tested patients had at least 1 relevant allergic reaction to a non-NACDG allergen. Hypothetically, approximately one quarter of reactions detected by NACDG allergens would have been missed by TRUE TEST (Smart Practice Denmark, Hillerød, Denmark). Conclusions: These results affirm the value of patch testing with many allergens.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)50-59
Number of pages10
JournalDermatitis
Volume24
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

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