Contact allergy to gold sodium thiosulfate

Abstract

100 consecutive patients routinely attending the contact dermatitis clinic were patched tested to gold sodium thiosulfate (GST). 13 patients had a positive patch test to GST, 11 of whom were female, and 12 had pierced ears. There was no correlation with any other substance in the European standard series, although there was a high incidence of nickel sensitivity in all patients (33%). Eczema on the ring fingers and neck was significantly more common in the group positive to GST. 1/2 of the patients with a positive response to GST had symptoms that they felt could be attributed to gold allergy.

The first Australian Baseline Series: Recommendations for patch testing in suspected contact dermatitis

“…[57][58][59][60][61] We found a rate of positive patch test reactions to gold sodium thiosulfate 2.0 pet of 22%, and to 0.5 pet of 20% in those tested. However, relevance could not be found in most (92 and 80%, respectively) of these cases.…”

Gold allergy in North America

“…Other studies have shown varying rates of positive reactions to gold ranging from 3.2% to 13%. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] An interesting feature of gold allergy is the propensity for facial and eyelid dermatitis to occur. In 1988, Fowler 2 reported 2 women with eyelid dermatitis and gold allergy.…”

Gold – a controversial sensitizer

“…Many persons are or may be exposed to metallic gold as it is present in jewellery and dental materials (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)50). To act as a sensitizer, gold, like other metals, has to be ionized.…”

“…Can jewellery sensitize (27,(61)(62)(63)? The question of whether dental gold is significant for sensitization should be addressed further (25,26,28,29,32,50). Late-appearing positive patch test reactions to gold do not need to be examples of active sensitization (38) but, actually, the possibility of active sensitization as the explanation for a part of the lateappearing reactions has not been investigated and is thus not excluded.…”

“…The patients testing positively participated in additional testing to elucidate the nature of the positive patch test reactions. Thereafter, contact allergy rates to gold in the range 1-23% were reported from various countries (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32).…”